The Chronicles of Yugoha
by Yuni Oha
Summary: 20,000 years ago there existed a vast and glorious space empire known as Yugoha. This grand empire forged the Monster Spirit Realm, and thus dueling itself, and went on to become one of the greatest civilizations ever formed, at least until their fall. This is their story. This time-jumping, space opera sci-fi, Yu-Gi-Oh! Millennium spin-off spans over a million years of history.
1. Foreword

**Notes: 1)** _This story is a spin-off to my earlier Yu-Gi-Oh! Millennium series. Reading of Yu-Gi-Oh! Millennium is not necessary to enjoy the Chronicles of Yugoha, but it is suggested._

 **2)** _This story accepts the English anime as canon, and no other sources, including the Japanese anime and manga. Most dates and events presented in this story are my own interpretation of the anime._

 **3)** _For an enhanced reading experience, be sure to check out the once again active Yu-Gi-Oh! Millennium Official Website. Find a link on my profile page._

* * *

The Chronicles of Yugoha

Foreword

 _They say that the end of one adventure is just the beginning of another. But if that is true, so must be the reverse. The beginning of one adventure is just the end of another. And that's all a beginning really is, an end of something old. But what is now old was once new, and it's beginning was also an end to something else. This goes on and on, creating a never-ending spectrum of beginnings and ends. This spectrum is the greatest story ever told. And that story is history._

 _History is what makes us what we are today. History is the very substance of our existence. It is history that teaches us who we are, and inspires us to become who we want to be. The future is untouchable, the present exists for but a moment, but history stretches back to the very beginning of time itself. History is not just a story, but a library full of stories._

 _One of those stories has had a greater impact on our world than any other. One story stands out from the rest. The story began over one million years ago, and yet has yet to conclude. This story is that of the Yugohan Empire._

 _The story of the Yugohan Empire belongs to three distinctly different civilizations. First came the Old Yugohan Empire, one of the greatest space-faring civilizations to ever exist in our galaxy. It was Old Yugoha that created the Monster Spirit Realm and the monsters that live in it, so, in a way, they are the true creators of Duel Monsters. It was with the aid of their creations that Yugoha came to dominate the galaxy. But it was also because of these monsters that they fell._

 _The fall of Yugoha came after years of civil war between the princes Yu-Gi-Oh and Seto. In its place rose the second society to bear the name Yugoha, the New Yugohan Empire. Originally known as the Tyrian Empire, this rival nation to Yugoha quickly came in and picked up the discarded pieces when Yugoha fell, declaring themselves to be the New Yugohan Empire. While they may have been Yugoha in name, little else about them were. Where Yugoha was a kind empire, New Yugoha was sinister and tyrannical. Where Yugoha survived over a million years, New Yugoha lasted only 20,000, what amounts to an insignificant few pages in the story of history._

 _The third and, so far, final civilization to be known as Yugoha is the Reborn Yugohan Empire, born again as a phoenix rising from its ashes when the Princes Yu-Gi-Oh and Seto returned after 20,000 years. While the ink used to write the first words of the story of the Reborn Yugohan Empire has yet to even dry, it has already made its impact. It is because of this great period of galactic renaissance that I write this story. Yugoha, no matter what form, has made its mark on history, and this is its story. These are the Chronicles of Yugoha._


	2. Chapter 1: Birth of a Legend

Chapter 1: A Legend is Born

 **Era: 15,021 BYGO (15,021 Years Before Episode 1 of original Yu-Gi-Oh)**

 _Every so often in the great chronicles of history, there is a single event that makes such a large and lasting impact that the entire course of history is completely altered in that one moment. This chapter tells the tale of one such moment, one that has shaped the past 20,000 years of galactic and Earth history, and continues to do so even today._

* * *

A man walks angrily down a hallway. He is dressed in clothing that seems to blend the fashion of ancient imperial robes with futuristic sci-fi clothing. His hair is showing the first signs of gray, likely more from stress than from age, but otherwise he is a fairly handsome man. He thrusts two doors open and demands, "Is what I hear true? Have you finally completed it?"

One man, wearing a lab coat and some sort of futuristic AR visor, looks up from a high-tech computer with a holographic display and nods. "Yes, my Emperor. I think we have finally completed it."

The emperor nods, but also looks skeptical. He turns and asks, "And what say you, Shadu? Is it complete?"

Another man steps into view. He has a completely bald head and piercing blue eyes. He wears a simple and lose-fitting white robe. He speaks in a mystical, yet familiar voice, "Yes, the Plana has been completed."

* * *

The three men now sit around a table. In the center of the table is a holographic projector. It is currently projecting some sort of network. The man named Shadu declares, "It has been in the works for the past twenty years, but I am pleased to report that my life's work is finally complete. The Plana is fully functional."

The emperor nods. "At least, that is your opinion. What say you Gorbik?"

The other man, Gorbik, seems more hesitant to give a response. "Well…we haven't actually tested it yet, for obvious reasons, but I do believe that you will have your superweapon."

Shadu shakes his head in disapproval. "Do not refer to the Plana as a superweapon. It is an instrument of peace. It can be used to create a perfect world, striking out any misbalances of Light or Darkness."

Gorbik objects, "Call it what you want, but your so-called Plana is a superweapon in the end. It's the power to control reality itself. If that's not a superweapon, I don't know what is."

Trying to calm the debate before it begins, the emperor declares, "This is not the time for a debate of ethics. Now tell me, how exactly does the Plana work?"

Gorbik explains, "The Plana, if that's really what we're going to call it, is not a physical machine, but rather a matrix." He points to the holographic matrix that serves as a diagram. "Its focus is a network of three quantum computers, the most powerful that we have ever constructed. These quantum computers then form a matrix with other processors, the more there are, the stronger the effects of the Plana. This matrix allows us to access the very same powers as those used by the great Lord Versal, god of reality."

The emperor questions, "How does this differ from the Yugohan Galactic Net? That is already a galaxy-wide network of billions of quantum computers, but it shows no ability to control reality."

Shadu chimes in, "But we do not tether other quantum computers to the focus. While a quantum computer may provide the greatest amount of computing power of anything known, it has one major failing. It is too rigid. It lacks the ability to adapt and the ability to imagine. However, there is another type of computer we have that excels at doing just this."

The emperor questions, "AI?"

Shadu shakes his head. "No, not even the most advanced of AI is enough. I am referring to the Yugohan mind itself. For what is the brain but a computer?

The emperor slowly nods his head. "So you create a matrix of Yugohan minds with these specialized quantum computers?"

Shadu nods. "Exactly. Once enough minds have joined the matrix, the Plana will have enough computing power, as well as flexibility and imagination, to bend reality itself. One specific member of this matrix with an extreme amount of resolve, known as a Diva, will serve as its will. This person can literally change reality around them, control memories, or even bend dimensions."

The emperor is pleased. "When do we start tests?"

Shadu responds, "As soon as we gather the correct people to serve as members of the matrix. It takes very specific brainwaves. My research indicates that children may be best suited for it. We will also need to find an appropriate person to serve as Diva."

"Okay, then you are authorized to begin screening volunteers and workers of the empire for the required traits. I want the preliminary results as soon as possible. If this Plana turns out to work, we will have ushered in a new age of prosperity for our-"

Before he can finish his statement, there is a sudden boom followed by a crash. An entire wall is blown away in an explosion, which also flings the emperor, Shadu, and Gorbik backwards.

Through the hole in the wall, a legion of soldiers wearing green battle armor that completely covers them march in. Many guards with spirit monster partners, such as Marauding Captain and Freed the Brave General, try to rush in and stop them, but they're all shot down by the attackers' laser rifles, soldier and monster spirit alike. They make it across the room, and their leader orders them to shoot a control panel. After a couple of shots, a security field falls, revealing a small metallic cube with no markings or identifying features of any kind. The leader picks it up and declares, "This is a glorious day for Tyria. We have acquired the Yugohan superweapon.

The emperor weakly shouts, "Put that down! You don't know what you're holding!"

The leader turns to him and removes his helmet to reveal his face. He is a young man that looks extremely strict and stern, and has green hair combed back in a neat fashion. "Look how the mighty have fallen. I'd kill you now, but I want you to see your empire fall by means of your very own weapon, first."

The emperor sneers, "Commander Xenox. Of course it would be you."

Xenox laughs. "That's Captain Xenox. I was recently promoted, once again. At this rate, I'll have command over the entire Tyrian Navy by the time that Yugoha falls."

The emperor jabs, "Easy to say, because Yugoha will never fall to the likes of Tyria."

Xenox chuckles again. "With the power of this superweapon, it will." He then taps a badge on his chest and declares, "Away team ready for transport." A green haze surrounds the soldiers. Xenox taunts, "So long, Emperor." The entire party vanishes into the haze.

Shadu runs over to the emperor and asks, "My lord, are you alright?" He helps him up.

The emperor nods. "Yes, but what was that they took?"

Gorbik answers morbidly, "It was the main quantum computer. Tyria wants the Plana."

The emperor balls his fists angrily. "And now they have it, they have the power to rewrite reality."

Shadu shakes his head. "No…at least, not yet they don't." The emperor gives him a questioning look. Shadu elaborates, "Remember how I said the focusing network is comprised of three quantum computers? Tyria only has one. For security purposes, the other two are stored at top-secret locations across the empire."

Gorbik declares, "You have to reveal those locations so we can warn the personnel of impending attacks! We have to assume the worst, Tyria already knows of all three locations."

The emperor shakes his head. "No, the Plana is the highest level of classified. We need to keep this as much of a secret as possible. The possibility still exists that Tyria doesn't know the location of the other two quantum computers. We'll take my personal cruiser and a small group of elite troops, and we'll go retrieve them ourselves."

Shadu nods in agreement. "Indeed. We must act extremely cautiously, however. The only way that Tyria would know of the Plana is if they had a spy."

The emperor nods. "I concur."

Gorbik urges, "Then what are we waiting for? We have to go."

* * *

A sleek, yet powerful-looking starship lifts off of the planet's surface and immediately flies away at faster-than-light speeds.

On the ship's bridge, the emperor sits on a raised platform overlooking the bridge crew. Shadu and Gorbik stand on either side of him.

A young boy approaches the emperor. He's no older than sixteen, wearing battle armor and bizarre golden hair that spikes back at a 45-degree angle. He steps up to the emperor and salutes. "You requested a soldier meet with you, sir?"

The emperor observes the boy closely. "I asked for a soldier, not a cadet."

"With all due respect sir, I am a soldier. I graduated top of my class two years early and immediately enrolled. I currently hold the rank of lieutenant, first class."

The emperor is intrigued. "An impressive accomplishment for one so young. Tell me boy, what is your name?"

"I am Lieutenant Thoth Gallek. Student of Arbitrator Twil."

"An elite soldier and student of Chaos. You are an interesting boy."

"Thank you, sir."

"Tell me, Lieutenant Gallek, what do you know of our mission?"

"I know that it is of the utmost importance to the security of Yugoha, and therefore has been classified as top-secret. Beyond that, they have told us nothing."

The emperor nods. "And that's the way things will stay. Are you and your comrades alright with this?"

"Of course, sir. We knew what we were getting into when we accepted this mission. We will ask no unnecessary questions."

"Very good. You are dismissed." Thoth departs.

The emperor then looks up to Shadu and asks, "What is our first destination?"

"The piece of the Plana in most risk of being discovered would be the one located on the planet Thena IV, an outpost world on the Yugohan-Tyrian border."

"Then that is where we shall travel first."

* * *

The emperor, Shadu, and Gorbik, followed by a group of soldiers including Thoth, disembark from the emperor's starship onto a landing pad outside of an installation. The building is otherwise surrounded by swampland. The emperor says wearily, "I have a bad feeling about this. Where are the outpost's workers and guards?"

A soldier steps forward and suggests, "Maybe you should wait on the ship, sir. It would be much safer there."

The emperor shakes his head. "No, this mission is of the utmost importance. I will see to it myself." He beckons them all forward and leads the group to the compound's entrance. The automatic doors slide open.

Thoth comments, "The doors weren't locked, which either means nothing is wrong…or whatever went wrong happened fast."

Upon taking in those words, the emperor takes a step forward through the doors. Everyone else follows. They make their way through a long corridor. The inside of the building is just as abandoned as the outside.

Shadu steps up to a door and proclaims, "This is it. This door leads to the main research center. This is where the Plana was being worked on." The doors slide open. Nobody is inside.

The soldiers quickly survey the room. Thoth points to a water faucet that was left on. "Whatever happened here, it happened fast." After a moment of thought, he asks, "There must be some sort of security footage, can we view that?"

The emperor points to Gorbik. "Access the main terminal. Find out what happened here."

Gorbik nods and immediately walks over to a holographic computer. After a few commands, he pulls up a hologram of the room. "Okay, this footage should tell us exactly what happened." He plays it.

It shows several scientists going about their business as usual. One seems extremely fixated on a small cube, a similar one to what Tyria stole. Out of nowhere, a strand of orange energy suddenly flows from the cube to him. After a moment, the same sort of energy flows from him back to the cube. He drops the cube in shock.

Shadu says with disbelief, "He accidently activated the Plana. He's become a part of the network."

The footage continues. The scientist curiously picks the cube back up. After doing something to it, the same orange filaments now begin to move from it towards the various scientists in the room, as well as from one scientist to another, forming a matrix. The first scientist suddenly begins to laugh manically. He declares, "Yes, I can feel its power! The power belongs to me! I can rewrite reality!" All of the scientists look to him in shock. Suddenly all of them begin to scream in fear. They realize that their bodies are beginning to disintegrate away into tiny orange cubes of energy, which then vanish completely. Within moments, they've all disappeared, except the one with Plana, but then he too begins to vanish. He shouts with outrage, "No, I am your master! What is this!? No!" He's gone, too. The cube drops to the floor.

Everyone watching is speechless. The emperor asks, "What was that? How did he use the Plana with only one quantum computer?"

Shadu answers regretfully, "That was indeed the power of the Plana. The Plana can still grant unlimited power even with only one of the quantum computers, but the network it forms will be unstable and uncontrollable. And…that scientist did not have pure intentions."

Gorbik complains, "Not this again."

The emperor asks, "What do you mean?"

Shadu answers, "Only one with the purest of intentions can wield the power of Plana. Even the slightest bit of evil in the user's heart can cause massive destruction. It could even transform our dimension into one of darkness."

A soldier points somewhere and declares, "Sir, look!" He points to the quantum computer laying on the floor, right where it was dropped in the footage.

Shadu walks over to it and picks it up. "At least Tyria did not get their hands on it."

As if he jinxed himself, the hum of Tyrian transporters is suddenly heard and the same group of Tyrian soldiers as before appears in a circle around the group with their weapons drawn. The Yugohan soldiers don't have a chance to draw their weapons before it's too late.

Xenox looks to the emperor and says with mock surprise, "Well, well, well, I did not think I would have the pleasure of meeting you twice in one day. What a small galaxy it is, after all. If you know what's right for you, you'll hand over that computer."

Shadu shouts, "You'll never control the Plana!"

Xenox shakes his head in disapproval. "The Plana? Is that what we're calling this superweapon? Regardless, you are in no position to make such a statement. My soldiers are ready to fire at any instant. The only way out for you is if you hand over your 'Plana.'"

Gorbik shouts, "The Plana isn't for us to hand over!"

"Fine. I'll take it then." He suddenly thrusts his arm, and out from his gauntlet some sort of energy whip emerges. The whip wraps around the quantum computer and yanks it out of Shadu's hand. Immediately a firefight begins between both sides. Before much can come of it, the Tyrians are transported away.

Shadu slams his fists in anger against a table. "No! They're only one piece away from possessing the entire Plana! If they do so, with their evil ways, we will be seeing the dark side of dimensions!"

The emperor places a hand on his shoulder. "Do not fear. We will get the third piece before they do. Tell me, where is it?"

"The final piece was stored on Mobi, a high-security Yugohan research facility."

* * *

Xenox sits at the captain's seat of a Tyrian warship. A voice recording plays, "The final piece was stored on Mobi, a high-security Yugohan research facility."

Xenox grins devilishly. "Helm, set a course for Mobi. Maximum speed."

* * *

The emperor and his allies have arrived at the Mobi research facility. A scientist questions, "With all due respect sir, this facility is one of the most secure in the entire galaxy. There's no way that Tyrian agents could ever get in here. The Plana is completely safe."

The emperor nods. "Yes, I know your reputation, but I also know what we're dealing with here. No matter how safe this facility may be, the Yugohan homeworld will be safer. That's where I want to relocate it until this threat passes."

The scientist shrugs. "Okay sir, but let it be stated on the record that I disagree with your decision."

The emperor nods. "Noted."

Another scientist walks into the room carrying the final quantum computer. Gorbik takes it from her.

* * *

Back aboard the emperor's ship, the emperor is now in a private room. In front of him is a hologram of a pregnant woman. The woman is saying, "The doctors say it will happen any time now. I wish you could be here."

The emperor nods sorrowfully. "As do I, but trust me my dear, this is a matter I had to attend to personally."

She nods. "I know, just please do your best to get home soon. And keep us on your mind."

The emperor smiles. "Honey, you and our soon-to-be sons are all that is on my mind. I love you."

"I love you too. Bye." She hangs up.

Not a moment later, a siren goes off and a voice declares over an intercom, "Red alert! All personnel to battle stations! Red alert!"

The emperor gets up and exits his private room, leaving him on the bridge. He demands, "What's going on here?"

An officer reports, "Two things. First there was an unauthorized shuttle launch. Almost immediately afterwards, a ship appeared. It matches with known Tyrian designs."

The emperor demands, "Who's on that shuttle!?"

Shadu answers regretfully, "It's Gorbik…and he has the quantum computer…"

The emperor realizes what this means. "Gorbik was the spy. He's the reason the Tyrians know about the Plana. He's the reason for all of this."

Shadu agrees. "It would seem so."

The emperor orders the bridge crew, "Do whatever you can to get that shuttle! And hail the Tyrian vessel."

A communications officer states, "Go ahead, sir."

The emperor then declares, "Attention unidentified Tyrian vessel. This is the Emperor of the Yugohan Space Empire, and you are intruding upon Yugohan space. I order you to withdraw immediately."

The communications officer then says, "They're responding."

"Put it on screen."

The forward view screen now shows an image of Xenox. He declares, "I am sorry Emperor, but once we retrieve that shuttle, you will no longer be able to stop us. We will be the ones in control. If you surrender now, I might allow your crew to live. Otherwise, you will all die."

"Yugoha doesn't give in to threats." He then looks to an officer and asks, "How about that shuttle? Can you get it back?"

The officer shakes his head. "No, it would seem that Gorbik disabled our tractor beams, transporters, and weapons before he left. We have no means of retrieving him."

After a moment of thought, the emperor gets an idea. "What about the delivery transporters in the cargo bay, do we still have those?"

"Well…yes, but they can only can only be used to send material, not retrieve."

The emperor doesn't respond, he quickly turns around and leaves the bridge. Thoth realizes his plan and leaves to go after him.

* * *

The emperor quickly types some commands into a computer and then steps towards a teleportation pad. Thoth enters the cargo bay and declares, "Your highness, you must not do this!"

The emperor looks to Thoth and responds, "Lieutenant Gallek, it is not your place to give me orders."

"But it is my duty to protect the emperor. What you're about to do is dangerous, and I can't let you do it-"

"This is my fight Lieutenant. The Plana was created because I wanted it to be, and now I will get back."

Thoth finishes, "Alone."

The emperor questions, "What did you say?"

"I'm not letting you go alone. I'm coming with you."

The emperor nods. "Very well then. Step up here, we'll be transporting momentarily." Thoth steps up next to the emperor, and they both disappear into a golden haze.

* * *

Gorbik sits at the helm of his stolen shuttle, piloting it through space towards the Tyrian warship. He says aloud, "Tyrian Warship _Demolisher_ , this is Gorbik Cha, aboard the Yugohan shuttle number 34502. I am incoming with the payload. Please allow me access."

A voice responds via communicator, "We read you, shuttle 34502. Please proceed to hanger bay three on the port side. Then deliver the payload immediately to the bridge."

"I understand. Shuttle 34502 out." He goes back to working the controls.

Suddenly the voice of Thoth orders, "Chaos Sorcerer, immobilize him!" Before Gorbik can respond to the order, he's been lifted off his seat by a field of light and dark energy. He turns to see Thoth and the emperor step into the room, accompanied by the Chaos Sorcerer monster spirit.

Gorbik laughs. "If it isn't his royal highness himself. How'd you get here? Wait, don't tell me, you used the delivery transporter. I knew I should have disabled those too, but I didn't have enough time."

The emperor asks, "Why'd you do it Gorbik? You were one of our brightest scientists. Why would you betray your country?"

Gorbik laughs. "Betray my country!? I'm saving it!"

Thoth demands, "What do you mean, you scum!?"

"You're a soldier, you have nothing but blind loyalty. You wouldn't understand. Yugoha went too far the moment it decided to construct the Plana. That thing possesses powers that no mere mortal ever should! It was hubris to try to create it!"

The emperor questions, "What do you mean? We were creating it protect Yugoha."

Gorbik shakes his head. "No, you created it to become gods. Do you know how Shadu came up with the name Plana?"

The emperor shakes his head.

"The name comes from ancient Yugohan scripture."

The emperor nods as he makes the connection. He quotes the scripture, "The man's destiny was not to be a man. And so the man ascended. And so the man became a god. He cast aside his mortal name and took the divine name Plana as his own."

Gorbik nods. "Shadu knows exactly what he's creating, a machine that turns men into gods. I can't stand for that. Remember what happened to that scientist who activated Plana? That's why it can't exist! Tyria promised to help me destroy it so it couldn't be used against them."

Thoth decries, "I may not know what the heck this Plana thing is supposed to be, but I know that Tyria cannot be trusted. They're lying to you, Gorbik! Using you!"

"Don't you think I know that? But in the end, it will be me that uses them! I had no idea where the other two quantum computers where hidden, only Shadu knew that. Without the threat of Tyria, I never would have been able to destroy all three. Now once I board that ship, all three of them will be within my reach. I can destroy them before either Tyria or Yugoha uses them!"

The emperor shakes his head. "No, Gorbik, you won't be able to. If you step on that ship with the third quantum computer, then all is lost. Tyria will have the Plana, they will use it, and you will have died for nothing."

Gorbik shouts in defiance, "No!" Suddenly his spiritual energy manifests and calls upon his spirit monster, Gravekeeper's Spy. The monster releases a burst of dark energy that breaks Gorbik out of the Chaos Sorcerer's barrier. The monster then flies towards the emperor brandishing a dagger.

Thoth reacts quickly and orders, "Chaos Sorcerer, retaliate with Chaos Magic!" Chaos Sorcerer attacks the Gravekeeper's Spy with a beam of light and dark energy. The two engage in a fierce battle of spirits. The Gravekeeper's Spy throws several daggers from beneath its cloak at the Chaos Sorcerer, but they are all blocked by a barrier of energy. Chaos Sorcerer then attacks back with a shockwave of Chaos energy. The attack knocks back the Gravekeeper's Spy, but does not destroy it. The two spirits then fly at each other and become locked in hand-to-hand combat.

While they're busy fighting, the emperor notices the quantum computer sitting on the helm. He thinks to something that Shadu said earlier, "The Plana can still grant unlimited power even with only one of the quantum computers…" But then he remembers what else Shadu said, "Only one with the purest of intentions can wield the power of Plana. Even the slightest bit of evil in the user's heart can cause massive destruction. It could even transform our dimension into one of darkness."

The emperor takes a deep breath to strengthen his resolve and thinks, _I'm just going to have to hope that my intentions are pure enough. This is my only chance to retrieve the Plana._ Then he makes his move. He lunges forward and around Gorbik, grabbing the cube.

Gorbik shouts, "No! What are you doing!? Stop him!" The Gravekeeper's Spy moves to stop the emperor, but the Chaos Sorcerer immobilizes it.

Thoth shouts, "Don't worry, your majesty, I have your back!"

The emperor looks down to the cube and thinks, _Okay, how do I use this thing…?_ The moment he thinks that, the quantum computer begins to glow orange. It then forms a network with the emperor's mind. The emperor thinks, _What I want it is to protect my empire and its people from Tyria. I cannot allow them to control the Plana._

After a moment, the Plana responds. Tiny orange cubes made of energy begin to pile up in the emperor's hands. These cubes form together into two larger cubes, which then solidify into the two missing quantum computers. They immediately join the matrix.

Seeing what has happened, Gorbik shouts, "No! These powers are not for the likes of you to use!"

The emperor grins confidently. "I'm sorry, Gorbik. Your heart may be in the right place, but your methods were all wrong." After a pause, he commands, "Take Thoth and I back to my starship." The quantum computers glow orange and the emperor and Thoth are transformed into a mist of orange cubes that quickly evaporate away.

Gorbik runs at them to stop them, but he's too late. "No!" He looks at the main view screen to see that his shuttle is now pulling into the Tyrian hanger bay.

A voice over the communicator says, "Welcome to the Demolisher, shuttle 34502. We look forward to acquiring your payload."

Gorbik gulps nervously.

* * *

The emperor and Thoth rematerialize on the bridge of his ship. An officer is shouting, "The warship just went to hyper-warp speeds! We've lost them!"

Then Shadu realizes that the emperor and Thoth have appeared. "Emperor! You're back!" He notices the computers. "Are those…?"

The emperor nods. "Yes, these are the quantum computers. We got them back."

Shadu approaches the emperor to take them back. Before the emperor can hand them back, he takes a sigh of relief and thinks, _Whew, this is all over. Now just to get back to my wife in time to see my children born. May their impact on this galaxy be one greater than I could ever hope to make._ Thoth takes the quantum computers, but before he does, unnoticed by everyone, they activate, glowing orange and networking with everyone in the room, but only for a split second. The emperor then orders, "Helm, take us home."

* * *

Gorbik is in absolute fear and panic. He pleads, "Please, I swear, it wasn't my fault! I had the quantum computer! I promise!"

Xenox shakes his head with disapproval. Before he can say anything, a soldier marches into the room and reports with panic, "Captain Xenox, the other two quantum computers are gone!"

Xenox's eyes widen and slowly looks towards Gorbik. Gorbik cowers in fear. Xenox declares, "I should have known never to trust a Yugohan. I don't know what your ploy was, but you will quickly learn that Tyria does not take kindly to tricks." He turns to the soldier that walked in and orders, "Lieutenant, please dump this pathetic Yugohan out of the nearest airlock."

The soldier salutes and affirms, "Yes, sir!" He then approaches Gorbik, pulls him off the ground, and drags him out of the room.

Gorbik begs, "Please, don't do this! You're making a mistake! I can be of help to you in other ways! I know Yugohan secrets!"

* * *

The emperor's starship has landed on the Yugohan homeworld. The emperor looks to Shadu and orders, "Shadu, I'm putting an end to the Plana project."

Shadu is shocked. "Wh-what do you mean, sir?"

"Gorbik wasn't entirely wrong. The Plana may be the ultimate power next to the gods, but it is power that we mortals should not tamper with. There is too much danger involved. I want you to take each of the three quantum computers to a different high-security facility on the planet, and put them in most secure vault they have. No one will take the Plana again. Do you understand?"

"Yes…sir. I understand." The way he speaks seems to infer that he doesn't entirely. He sorrowfully departs.

The emperor turns to see Thoth heading down the starship's boarding ramp. "Lieutenant Gallek."

Thoth immediately turns towards the emperor and salutes. "Yes, sir."

"What you did today was extremely brave and commendable. For that, I salute you. It is always good to have soldiers that I can personally trust. I will not forget your name."

"Thank you, sir."

"Now if you'd excuse me, I have some business I need to attend to." He leaves.

* * *

The emperor stands next to his wife while she lies in bed. In either one of her arms is a baby boy. One has a ridiculous amount of hair for a baby, colored yellow, black, and purple, and already spikey. The other baby has more simple brown hair. The emperor declares, "It is my pleasure to introduce Yugoha's newest princes into the world. Welcome Prince Yu-Gi-Oh and Prince Seto. May your impact on this galaxy be a grand and glorious one."


	3. Chapter 2: What's in a Name?

Chapter 2: What's in a Name?

 **The Yugohan Homeworld, Era: 15,004 BYGO**

 _The story of Old Yugoha may be one that ended 20,000 years ago, but its impacts can be seen all throughout history, once you know what to look for. There are many instances of Yugoha's influence appearing on Earth, but no one at the time knew what it meant. Only now, with a modern historical perspective, can we look back and piece the puzzle together properly._

The setting is some sort of alien courtroom, filled with Yugohan citizens. Sitting on a raised platform aside of what can be assumed to be the judge's podium, is teenage boy sporting crazily spiked hair, colored yellow, black, and purple. He wears golden Yugohan-styled clothing.

The entire room is facing a man bound by chains sitting on a chair. He has pale skin and unruly black hair. There is something sinister about the look on his face. He wears completely black Yugohan clothing with metal pieces dangling from it.

The judge stands up and turns to the teenager at his side. "And what say you, Prince Yu-Gi-Oh?"

Yu-Gi-Oh stands up and addresses the court room. "I was tasked by my father with the job of building a case against this man. In the process of gathering evidence and investigating his crimes, I have bared witness to the worst he is capable of. This man is of the lowest type. He had no boundaries. He would destroy all that he came across, harboring not even the slightest bit of remorse. This man is an example of the worse that Yugoha has to offer. As the expert witness, it is my suggestion that he be imprisoned under the strictest of charges."

The judge nods. "I concur." He looks to the man. "Teron Et, it is the decision of this court, that based on both testimony and evidence provided by Prince Yu-Gi-Oh, heir to the throne of Yugoha, that you are ruled as definitively guilty of all accused crime and are to receive a Level Seven sentence, banishment to the Shadow Realm."

The man leaps up and objects, "I request my right to trial by combat!"

The judge chuckles. "Apparently you know little of our legal system Mr. Et. Trial by combat is only applicable to Level Five or lower sentences, and only those in which the defendant is found ambiguously guilty." He makes a motion. "Get him out of my sight."

Several armed guards come in, grab Teron, and try to pull him out of the room. Teron struggles against them. He looks towards Yu-Gi-Oh with hatred and shouts, "This isn't the last you've seen of me Yu-Gi-Oh! I'll get back at you for this! Mark my words!"

Yu-Gi-Oh doesn't even spare Teron a glance in return. Teron continues to shout in a fit of rage as he is dragged out of the room.

* * *

 **Domino City, Era: 0.5 AYGO (Half a year after the first episode of Yu-Gi-Oh)**

Yugi Muto is sitting alone his room above his grandpa's game shop. He's holding the Millennium Puzzle in his hand. The voice of the Pharaoh says to him, _Yugi, are you sure you want to go through with this? It's not too late to stop._

Yugi shakes his head. "No, this is something I need to do. You remember what happened when we dueled Pegasus. We had a winning strategy with our mind swapping, but it was me who failed you. I wasn't able to take the strain the Shadow Realm placed on my spirit. If you had lost that duel, it would have been my fault. If this sort of thing is going to keep on happening to us, then I need to know I can be there to help you when you need it, just like you're there to help me. And if this Marik person is anything like he seems to be, I need to be ready as soon as possible."

The Pharaoh relents, _Okay, Yugi. Let's do it, then. I will transport you to the Shadow Realm, but you have to promise me that you will tell me the moment you feel unable to continue. I will pull you back out as soon as you do._

Yugi nods. "Got it."

 _Here we go._

The Millennium Puzzle begins to glow, and Yugi is encircled by a dark magic ring. There a flash, and suddenly Yugi is floating in a void of complete darkness and shadows. The strain the realm puts on Yugi is immediately apparent, but he puts on a forced grin and says through clenched teeth, "So this is the Shadow Realm, huh? Is that all it's got?"

 _This isn't a game, Yugi! Stay focused!_

While Yugi works on building up his stamina, something a distance away from him takes note of his presence. That something stirs in the shadows. A disembodied voice murmurs weakly, _Yu-Gi-Oh…he is here…_ The shadows in this spot continue to stir, becoming more and more active.

After few more moments, Yugi suddenly gasps in pain. "Argh!"

The Pharaoh says with worry, _Yugi, I'm pulling you out!_

Another flash of light, and Yugi is back on his bed, exactly where he was before. He asks with some annoyance, "What was that? I was fine in there, you didn't need to pull me out."

 _No Yugi, I'm taking any risks. If I sense danger, I'm pulling you out. If you insist on doing this, I'll help you, but we're doing this on my terms._

Yugi sighs. "You're right. Sorry, Pharaoh." He stands up and stretches. "I guess I should get going. Joey is anxious to find some people to duel for Battle City." He picks up his Duel Disk off a table and leaves the room.

Moments after he's gone, there's another flash of light, and a new body appears in the room. It's Teron. He stands completely still for moment, and then looks at his own hands with surprise. "I'm…free…? Am I really free…?" But after a moment of basking in this, he then remembers, "I'm free because Yu-Gi-Oh is here. I followed him out." He grins maliciously. "I don't know how you're still alive after all these thousands of years, but now the time for my revenge has finally come. I will destroy you, Yu-Gi-Oh, just like you destroyed me."

* * *

Yugi approaches Domino Square, where he spots Joey, Tristan, and Téa waiting for him. He calls to them, "Hey guys, how's it going?"

Joey declares, "Oh yeah, Yugi's here! It's time to duel!"

Tristan says snidely, "Or in your case, it's time to lose."

Joey turns around and angrily demands, "What did you say?"

Tristan waves his hands around, feigning innocence. "Nothing. I didn't say anything."

Joey nods. "Yeah, that's what I thought."

Téa asks, "So what's up, Yugi? You look pretty tired."

Yugi shrugs. "It's nothing, I was just working on something, it took a lot out of me, but I'm fine."

The voice of Teron declares, "You may be fine now, Yu-Gi-Oh, but you won't be when I get through with you."

Everyone turns to see Teron approaching them. Joey asks, "Who's the dude in the whacky space getup?"

Yugi responds, "I have no clue, but I don't have a good feeling about him either."

Teron continues, "15,000 years you've imprisoned me for, Yu-Gi-Oh, 15,000 years that I spent doing nothing but contemplating the ways I could destroy you, and now the time has finally come."

Yugi asks, "I'm sorry, but do I know you?"

In a fit of hysteric rage, Teron shouts, "Of course you know me, Yu-Gi-Oh! Your case against me is what put me in the Shadow Realm, a fate worse than death! You made me endure 15,000 years of pure, agonizing torture! How dare you pretend to not know me!?"

"No, I really don't know you. I think you have me mixed up with someone else, my name is Yugi, not Yu-Gi-Oh."

His rage rising, he now barks, "Don't you dare try to deceive me! Your spirit is the same as it was all those millennia ago! You are Yu-Gi-Oh, crown prince of Yugoha, and I am Teron Et, your worst nightmare! I challenge you to the trial by combat I was denied back on that faithful day!" He holds up an arm, and energy flies in from all directions to coalesce around it, taking a solid form. The energy takes on the shape of some sort of Duel Disk-like device. Teron then pulls a deck off of his belt and slips it into the Duel Disk.

Joey whispers to Yugi, "Hey Yug, I think that's supposed to be a Duel Disk. This guy is challenging you to a duel."

Yugi holds his Duel Disk forward. "I don't know who you are, but if dueling you will get you to leave my friends and me alone, then I'll do it!"

The Pharaoh warns, _Be careful, Yug., I sense much darkness coming from this man._

 _Don't worry, I'll be fine._

Teron smiles with ill intent. "I knew you wouldn't refuse a challenge. That is your downfall. Now this Shadow Game will begin!" He holds up his arm with the Duel Disk, and shadows begin to spread outward from it.

Yugi gasps. "Did you say Shadow Game!?"

Téa cries out, "Yugi!" as the field of shadows separate her and the others from Yugi.

Teron declares, "Of course this is a Shadow Game, that is the way of Yugohan Trial by Combat. Winner goes free, while the loser is sentenced to the Shadow Realm. Once I defeat you, you will experience the same pain I have, and I will finally be free!"

Yugi declares, "You don't scare me one bit. I've dealt with psychopaths like you before!"

The Millennium Puzzle begins to glow, and the mark of the Millennium Eye appears on Yugi's forehead. There is a grand display of lights, and a voice shouts, "Yu-Gi-Oh!" Yugi transforms into Yami Yugi.

Yugi then locks his Duel Disk into place and declares, "It's time to duel!"

Teron is intrigued by something. "You still have the spirit of Yu-Gi-Oh, but it is different in some way. Interesting. It does not matter though, I will still destroy you all the same."

Yugi retorts, "I don't take kindly to threats. Now, are we going to duel, or not?"

Teron grins. "Of course we are."

Both duelists draw their cards and declare at the same time, "Let's duel!"

Yami Yugi draws a card first. "I'll be making the first move, and with it, I summon the mighty Celtic Guardian (Earth/Level 4/Warrior/Normal/ATK 1400/DEF 1200)!" Yugi's elven swordsman appears on the field before him. "I'll also set two cards and end my turn (Yugi's hand: 3)."

Teron draws. "I see that you have changed your deck, Yu-Gi-Oh. It won't save you. I summon Nameless Fiend in Attack Mode (Dark/Level 1/Fiend/Effect/ATK 0/DEF 0)!" The monster that appears on Teron's side of the field is a diminutive and nearly featureless creature composed entirely of shadows.

Yugi decrees, "I activate a Trap Card! Chain Destruction! This trap will destroy every monster in your deck and hand with the same name as the monster you just summoned!"

Teron bursts out in laughter. "How foolish of you!"

Yugi scowls. "I fail to see what's so funny."

"You are Yu-Gi-Oh, because of the mistake you've already made! There's a reason that my monster is called the Nameless Fiend! It might have Nameless Fiend written on the card for the sake of simplicity, but it actually counts as having no name whatsoever! Therefore, your Chain Destruction has no effect on my Nameless Fiend!"

Yami Yugi gasps with disbelief. "A monster…with no name!? How is that possible?"

Yugi says mentally, _I don't like the sound of that. Be careful, Pharaoh._

Yami Yugi responds with a small nod.

Teron continues his turn. "And now that I control a monster with no name, that means I can special summon from my hand Nil, the Nameless Entity (Dark/Level 5/Fiend/Effect/ATK 1900/DEF 0)!" This monster, much like the one before it, is comprised of shadows, at least partially. While some parts of it are indeterminate blobs of shadows, the rest of it is much more well-defined, taking the form of a sinister humanoid beast wearing pitch-black armor. "Nil, the Nameless Entity, attack Yu-Gi-Oh's Celtic Guardian!"

Yugi counters, "I activate the Spell Card; Celtic Arms! This Quick-Play card allows me to increase the attack of my Celtic Guardian by 1000 points! More than enough to destroy your beast!"

Teron laughs again. "Not if I activate a Spell Card of my own! Go, Name Snatch! This card allows a monster with no name, such as my Nameless Fiend, to steal the name of another monster on the field, leaving that monster with no name, and mine with one!" A stream of shadows is launched from the Nameless Fiend to the Celtic Guardian. Once the stream connects, energy is sapped from the Guardian, leaving it a pale gray color. Meanwhile, the Nameless Fiend takes on a shape extremely similar to the Celtic Guardian's, only still made out of shadows.

Yugi raises his brows in surprise as he realizes what this means. "Since my Celtic Arms has to target a Celtic Guardian monster, my Celtic Guardian is no longer applicable, but your Nameless Fiend is!"

"Yes! And now that you've already activated the card, you have to pick a Celtic Guardian monster on the field to target, and you only have one choice!" The Nameless Fiend is equipped with a silver blade depicted in the picture on Celtic Arms (ATK: 1000). "Now, finish your attack Nil!" Nil, the Nameless Entity attacks with a furious storm of shadows, which completely destroys the monster once named Celtic Guardian (Yugi's LP: 3500). "And then I'll have my _Celtic Guardian_ attack your life points directly!" The monster leaps up and attacks Yugi in the exact same way that the Celtic Guardian might have (Yugi's LP: 2500).

Yugi grunts in pain from the real damage inflicted to him by the Shadow Game.

Teron taunts, "My nameless strategy has now successfully stopped two of your plays! There is nothing you can do to stop me now! I've done nothing but think about how I will enact my vengeance for the past 15,000 years! I know exactly how this Shadow Game is going to end! I've planned for everything (Teron's Hand: 3)!"

Yugi draws. "You may be an insane man, but if you know me the way you claim to, then you should know that I don't scare easily. If you're trying to intimidate me, you're wasting your time! I summon Dark Acolyte (Dark/Level 4/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 1500/DEF 1100)!" This monster seems to be a smaller, diminutive, and all-around younger version of the Dark Magician. "By removing the Dark Acolyte from play, I can summon a Dark Magician straight from my deck! Join me, my magician (Dark/Level 7/Spellcaster/Normal/ATK 2500/DEF 2100)!" The young magician is replaced by his adult version in a burst of dark energy. "Dark Magician, attack that fake Celtic Guardian! Dark Magic Attack!" The Dark Magician attacks with an orb of shadow energy, which destroys the Nameless Fiend (Teron's LP: 2500). Yugi sets two cards face-down. "And just like that, you're no longer on top (Yugi's hand: 1)."

Looking extremely angry, Teron shouts with intense rage, "No! I refuse to lose to you! This is a temporary setback! I will have my vengeance!" He focuses his anger inwards and draws. "I summon Void, the Nameless Entity (Dark/Level 3/Fiend/Effect/ATK 1200/DEF 0)!" This monsters appears to be almost the exact same creature as Nil, the Nameless Entity, the only true difference being that it is in a lesser formed state, being even more composed of ill-defined shadows. "As long as Void, the Nameless Entity is on my field or in my graveyard, its name counts as Nil, the Nameless Entity! And now that I control two Nils, I can special summon a third monster, Nameless Vessel (Dark/Level 5/Fiend/Effect/ATK 0/DEF 0)!" The monster is another mass of formless shadows, extremely similar to Nameless Fiend. "Just like my Nameless Fiend, Nameless Vessel doesn't actually have a name of its own. That's fine though, because it instead grants names to others! Once per turn it can change the name of monster on the field to Nil, the Nameless Entity, such as your Dark Magician!" Shadows surround the Dark Magician, and then infect it, obscuring it in a veil of them.

"What have you done to the Dark Magician?"

"He's not the Dark Magician anymore, he's Nil, the Nameless Entity! Oh, and I forgot to mention the other effect of the Nameless Vessel. For every Nil, the Nameless Entity on the field, it gains 1000 Attack Points (ATK: 3000). Now, Nameless Vessel, destroy Yugi's Nil, the Nameless Entity!"

Yugi thinks, _One of my face-down card is Magical Hats, which could have protected the Dark Magician, but that can only be used in combination with a Magician monster, which Dark Magician currently isn't._ Hegrunts and watches helplessly as his not-Dark Magician is destroyed by a shadowy burst of energy (Yugi's LP: 2000). Now that there is one less "Nil" on the field, the attack of Nameless Vessel decreases (ATK: 2000).

After recovering from the attack, Yugi declares, "I activate Magician's Replacement! Since you just destroyed one of my Spellcaster-Type monsters, this card allows me to summon another one from my deck, so long as its attack value is less than the monster you destroyed! I summon the Dark Magician Girl (Dark/Level 6/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 2000/DEF 1700)!" Dark Magician Girl appears on the field with the determination to avenge her fallen master. "And since you destroyed her teacher, that only makes the Dark Magician Girl stronger, 300 points stronger to be exact (ATK: 2300). And now none of your monsters are strong enough to destroy her."

Teron nods. "So is the case. I set a card and end my turn (Teron's hand: 1)."

Yugi draws and immediately declares, "I activate the Pot of Greed! This card allows me to draw two cards!" He draws his additional cards. "And then I'll give my Magician Girl some company with Magician's Valkyria (Light/Level 4/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 1600/DEF 1800)! Now Dark Magician Girl, destroy his Nameless Vessel! Dark Burning Attack!" The Dark Magician Girl prepares to launch her magical attack.

Teron counters, "Not so fast, Yu-Gi-Oh! I activate my Trap Card! Go, Name Sealer! As long as this card is on the field, it makes it so that all monsters in your graveyard lose their names!"

Yugi's eye's go wide. "Oh no, if Dark Magician loses its name again, that means that Dark Magician Girl loses her 300 extra Attack Points (ATK: 2000)!"

"Exactly! Now watch as your monster destroys itself!" Dark Magician Girl launches her attack, which does destroy its target, but the resulting explosion also destroys her as well.

Yugi clenches a fist in anger. "I'm sorry, Dark Magician Girl, I failed you." He then looks back up at Teron. "I still have one more magician girl left! Magician's Valkyria, destroy his Void, the Nameless Entity!"

Teron waggles his finger. "Nah, ah, ah, Yu-Gi-Oh, that's Nil, the Nameless Entity to you." Yugi's monster casts its magical spell and destroys the weaker of the two Nils (Teron's LP: 2100). Teron then declares, "And when this version of Nil is destroyed, its special effect activates, allowing me to do two things. First, I may send one copy of Nil, the Nameless Entity from my deck to my grave, then I may add another monster from my deck to my hand, such as Null, the Nameless Entity."

Yami Yugi thinks with desperation, _What am I supposed to do against a deck such as this one? He literally rips away the identity of my monsters, and then uses that against me. How can I possibly fight when my monsters' most fundamental attributes are missing?_

Yugi asserts encouragingly, _Every deck has its weak spot, you've just got to find this deck's, and turn it against this guy!_

Yami nods. _You're right Yugi. This deck may be unorthodox, but that doesn't mean it's without its weaknesses._ He then sets a card and declares, "I end my turn (Yugi's hand: 1)."

Teron draws. "I see the fight in your eyes, Yu-Gi-Oh. You actually think you have a chance to defeat me. That won't happen, especially now that I have drawn the final card I need to defeat you. But before I activate it, I'll summon Null, the Nameless Entity (Dark/Level 1/Fiend/Effect/ATK 100/DEF 0)!" Yet again, this monster bares a strong resemblance to Nil, the Nameless Entity, except this one is even less formed than Void was. "Just like Void, Null, the Nameless Entity has its name count as Nil, the Nameless Entity while on the field or in the grave! It won't be sticking around for long though, as its other effect allows me to tribute it in order to erase the names of all monsters you control!" The monster explodes into a shockwave of shadows. These shadows drain Magician's Valkyria of all its color. "And now for the main event! I activate my Spell Card, Celestial Advancement: Name of Vengeance!"

Yugi gasps with shock. "What kind of card is that!?"

Teron laughs. "You know exactly what type of card this is, Yu-Gi-Oh! Go, Celestial Apex Evolution!" Nil, the Nameless Entity becomes cloaked in a cloud of light that resembles a nebula made of shadows. "I evolve my Nil, the Nameless Entity into Nihil, the Nameless King (Dark/Level 8/Fiend/Evolution/ATK 1900/DEF 0)!" From his Extra Deck, Teron pulls out a card with a silver border and circuit board patterns across it, and places the card on top of Nil, the Nameless Entity. On the field, the nebula dissipates, revealing that Nil has undergone massive changes. It is now much larger, and has completely taken on a defined form. Shadow spirits fly every which way around it.

( **Author's Note:** _Evolution Summoning is a summoning mechanic introduced in Yu-Gi-Oh! Millennium. For a detailed description and list of rules, see the Yu-Gi-Oh! Millennium Official Website._ )

Yugi demands, "Evolution Monster!? What is this madness!?"

"That joke was hardly funny the first time, Yu-Gi-Oh! You know exactly what an Evolution Monster is! Evolution Summoning, especially a Celestial Apex Evolution, such as this one, is the main summoning of our people! Don't you dare mock me like that again!"

Yami thinks, _This is insane. He just summoned some sort of all-new monster type. How could this be possible?_

Yugi suggests, _Maybe there is some truth to his mad ramblings, about holding a 15,000 year old grudge. If he's using a card like that, there's obviously a lot more going on here than we could ever comprehend. It's like we're only looking through a pinhole at a much larger story._

Yami responds with determination, _Pinhole or not, this monster needs to be stopped._

Teron then proclaims, "Nihil is my ultimate monster, for it gains 500 Attack Points for every monster named Nil, the Nameless Entity in my graveyard! With one of each Nil, Void, and Null, that's a total of 1500 additional attack (ATK: 3400)! That's not all though, as I still have yet to mention the additional effect of Name of Vengeance! When I summon a monster with it, it then decreases the stats of nameless monsters you control to zero!" A pulse of darkness emanates from Nihil and saps Magician's Valkyria of the last of her energy (ATK and DEF: 0). Teron looks to Yugi with extreme hatred. He then beckons to their surroundings. "Take a good look around you, Yu-Gi-Oh. This realm will be your eternal prison, just as it was mine. The Shadow Realm strips away one's identity! Souls lost to its void wander in an eternity of pain and suffering, losing all aspects of themselves in the process."

Yugi points out, "You seem to have kept yours."

"Indeed, and I suppose I have you to thank for that. It was my singular and undying hatred for you, and my need for revenge that kept me sane."

"You're hardly sane, you're obsessed."

"Fair enough, maybe I did lose my sanity. But I didn't lose my sense of self, just as your monster has, and how you soon will as well, once my monster ends this duel. Now Nihil, the time for my vengeance is here at last! Destroy the last of Yu-Gi-Oh's life points with Nameless Soul Burst!" The shadow phantoms in orbit around the monster become much more active as it prepares to attack. It then points a bony finger forward, and all of the spirits launch themselves at the nameless Valkyria at once. "Goodbye, Yu-Gi-Oh! I told you I would get you for imprisoning me!"

A small but confident grin appears on Yugi's face. "Not yet, you don't. I activate Duplication Spell! At the cost of 1000 life points, this card allows me to summon one monster from my deck with the same Level, Type, Attribute, original attack, and original defense as a monster I control (Yugi's LP: 1000). You may have sapped Magician's Valkyria of her name and stats, but that doesn't mean there's not an underlying identity hiding there! I summon another Magician's Valkyria!" The first Magician's Valkyria, seeing the second, is given a new burst of energy. She stands up, and together the two of them generate a barrier of energy around Yugi and themselves, which blocks the attack of Nihil.

Teron demands, "What is this!? What happened!? Why weren't you destroyed!?"

"All good questions. The answer to all three is that the effects of my two Valkyrias kicked in. Each one prevents you from attacking any Spellcaster besides itself. When I control two of them, you are unable to attack any Spellcaster at all."

Teron clenches his fists in anger and shouts into the sky, "No! How dare you!? I will not stand for this!"

"You have no other choice. Now end your turn."

"Not yet! First I activate the Spell Card, Nameless Power! Now at the end of your next turn, if I control a Nil, the Nameless Entity, you'll take 1000 points of damage, enough to finish you once and for all! But that's not all, as, until the end of your next turn, if you attack a Nil, the Nameless Entity, I can banish another one from my graveyard in order to negate your attack!"

Yugi demands, "But why would you play such a card when you control no Nil, and have no means of getting one back?"

Teron shouts with rage, "I told you to stop mocking me like that! You know as well as I do that at the end of this turn Nihil, like any other Evolution Monster, will devolve, returning the Nil I used as an Evolution Base to the field!" As he says this, exactly that happens (Teron's hand: 0).

Yami thinks, _I may be safe from any attacks with my Valkyrias, but if I can't find a way to get rid of his Nil by the end of this turn, we're finished._

Yugi reminds him, _Remember, this deck still must have a weakness. Believe in the Heart of the Cards, and you'll find it._

Yami Yugi grins. He holds a hand over his deck and takes a moment to gather his focus and take a deep breath. Slowly and dramatically he draws his last card. He opens his eyes and looks to it. He is surprised. _Yugi, this is it! This is his deck's weakness._

 _I knew you could do it, Pharaoh! Now show this guy what we're really made of!_

"I activate a Spell Card, Magician Convocation! To activate this card, I must first tribute two Spellcaster-Type monsters I control." The two Valkyries disappear. "But in their place, I am allowed to summon another one from my graveyard. Return to the field, Dark Magician! Magician Convocation then equips onto my Dark Magician, granting it 500 additional points of attack for every Spellcaster monster in my graveyard, which is a total of 1500 extra points (ATK: 4000)!"

Teron is unsettled by this. "That's just enough to defeat me if you attack Nil!" He quickly regains composure and adds, "That is, if you could attack Nil, but you can't, as I still have the effect of Nameless Power active! That will be the last mistake you ever make, Yu-Gi-Oh! You've lost this duel!"

"No, I've made no mistake. I still have one more card left, and it's sure to put a wrinkle in your plan. Remember how I failed at using Chain Destruction before? It's time to make up for that. I activate Chain Removal! This card removes all monsters in your graveyard from play that share a name with a monster you control!"

Teron's eyes go wide as he realizes what this means. "No!"

"Yes. Your deck may be a potent one, but it's biggest flaw is that it relies on having many monsters with the same name. My Chain Destruction from before actually could have been quite helpful, if only I had used it on a different monster. This is my second chance!" Chains shoot from the card and pass right through Nil, the Nameless Entity, and embed themselves in Teron's graveyard, banishing all three of his monsters named Nil. "And now, with no monsters left to remove from play for the effect of Nameless Power, my Dark Magician is free to attack. Finish this with Dark Magic Attack!" The Dark Magician raises his scepter, and is joined by phantasmal apparitions of the Dark Magician Girl and the two Magician's Valkyria. Together the four magicians launch a powerful magical attack at Teron's monster, destroying it entirely (Teron's LP: 0).

Teron falls to his knees. He murmurs something under his breath. He then repeats it a little louder, and then again louder, and then again. We can now hear that he is continuously shouting, "No! No! No! No! No! No!" getting louder every time, until he's screaming at the top of his lungs. He then suddenly springs up and runs right at Yugi with a violent look on his face. "I won't let it end this way!"

Yugi steps back in shock, but is unsure of how to respond.

Just before Teron can attack Yugi, a giant hand reaches out of the shadows and grabs him by the head. A booming voice declares, "Teron Et, you have lost your Yugohan trial by combat! Your sentence is an eternity in the Shadow Realm!"

Teron screams in absolute horror, "No! Not again!" He's dragged down into the shadows, disappearing entirely.

Yugi breathes a sigh of relief. The next moment he is standing back in Domino Square. He transforms back to normal.

Téa runs up to him and hugs him. "Yugi, I'm so glad you're okay! You had us worried!"

Tristan adds, "Yeah, Joey here nearly had a panic attack without you."

Yugi laughs. "Oh, did he really?"

Joey shouts angrily, "I did not!"

Tristan shrugs. "Say what you want, I know what I saw."

Trying to change the subject, Joey asks, "So what happened, Yugi? Who was that guy?"

Yugi shakes his head. "I wish knew, but that duel only left me with more questions than answers. Something was going on there, but somehow I doubt I'll ever truly know what. At least, not in this life time." He then says with a smile, "But that's behind us now. Come on, let's go and get in on Duelist City."

Joey cheers, "Oh yeah! I thought you'd never say that! Let's see if we can find any Rare Hunters to defeat!"


	4. Chapter 3: God Killers

Episode 3: God Killers

 **Yugohan Homeworld, 5,003 AYGO (A Year After Yu-Gi-Oh! Millennium)**

 _Some chose to look at history as a collection of random stories. While history is certainly composed of countless stories, this description doesn't do enough justice to describe what history truly is. A collection of random stories would simply infer that once one story ends, it's over for good. This is not the case, however. What may be defined as two separate stories in history can almost always be linked together into one larger story. A story may end, but its effects continue on and spark new stories. Or, rather, they extend the original._

The scene is a bright and beautiful spectacle of a wide-open park. The park is filled with various memorials, both statues and holographic displays. It is packed with visitors and tourists. Everything is peaceful and serene.

A holographic information booth explains, "Welcome to Firebird Park. Just as the Yugohan Firebird will burn up upon its demise, but then have an offspring born from its ashes, Old Yugoha crumbled, but was reborn from the ruins it left behind. This park was constructed as a celebration of that rebirth. Throughout the park you will find memorials dedicated to those brave souls who fell in both the Yugohan Civil War and the Tyrian Insurrection. Here we remember those who have sacrificed themselves for this renaissance we live in now, as we look forward to a bright and prosperous-"

The peace and serenity is suddenly shattered when a massive explosion detonates in the center of the park. The explosion is of some sort of futuristic caliber, as it completely vaporizes anything it touches as a bubble of destruction expands outwards. It leaves behind nothing but a perfectly semispherical crater.

What was once harmony is now panic and terror. People scream and run in all directions, terrified for their lives.

All of the in-tact hologram projectors in the park now light up with a new image. Some sort of emblem is displayed with an ominous red color. The emblem is composed of three horizontal wavy lines within a square that is inscribed within a circle. A fierce voice announces through the projectors, "People of Yugoha, you have been lied to! This park is nothing but a piece of propaganda meant to placate the people! Our so-called _emperors_ claim to be the rightful rulers of Yugoha, but they lie to us! Those who rightfully rule Yugoha do so by the divine choice of our gods! But that is not Yu-Gi-Oh and Seto, for they are god killers! Ask yourself, citizens of Yugoha! How could those who killed our gods, those who we worship above all else, be chosen by them to rule!? Isn't it convenient that that they claim the divine right to rule, and yet they murdered the gods who grant that right, leaving them unable to say any differently!? We are the Soldiers of Versal, and we will not stop fighting until the god killers have relinquished their false claims of power over us!" The projectors all deactivate at once.

* * *

Emperor Yu-Gi-Oh demands, "How many people died!?" He is seated at the head of a rectangular table. Opposite of him is his co-emperor, Seto. Several others fill the rest of the table. One is Seto's bride and high advisor to the emperors, Celestia. Another is Matt, formerly known as Ma'at, the Lord of Order-turned-Lord of Chaos. He wears clothes very similar to his old white jumpsuit, only they are now colored with a balance of black and white. His belt buckle has a yin-yang emblem on it.

A man sitting at the table answers, "Fortunately, there were no casualties. These Soldiers of Versal, at least for now, only wish to make some noise."

Yu-Gi-Oh breathes a sigh of relief. "Thank Versal for that."

Seto asks, "And what does the Imperial Intelligence Agency know of these terrorists?"

A woman wearing a clean white uniform answers, "The IIA does have a file on them, but it is small. As their proclamation made clear, they believe that Yugoha is being led by god killers." She notices Yu-Gi-Oh cringe at the words and adds, "Their words, not mine."

Yu-Gi-Oh shakes his head. "No, their description is true. Harsh, but true. It was a unilateral decision made by me to sacrifice the Yugohan Trinity in order to defeat Ottiuk the Dark One. I am a slayer of gods." He says this with deep remorse in his voice.

Celestia stands up and asserts, "No my emperor, you must not speak that way! The gods willingly sacrificed themselves so that you could save the galaxy from Ottiuk's darkness! There is nothing wrong with that!"

Seto mentions, "While we may all know that, the problem comes when we have citizens who do not want to believe our story. They see that story as a cover up, and that is why we face the problems we do now."

With remorse still weighing in his voice, Yu-Gi-Oh adds, "And who can blame them? I may not agree with their methods, but no one can blame them for being skeptical. A populous that blindly follows its leaders follows them down a dark path. That is why Tyria managed to assert dominance over our people."

Seto counters, "But as rulers, we must demand the respect of our people, for without their respect, we are nothing."

Yu-Gi-Oh argues back, "We must earn their respect, we cannot expect it."

Things start getting heated. Seto contends, "As their rulers, we dedicate our lives to these people! We do everything in our power to protect them, even if that means sacrificing the gods themselves! Who are they question that, so long as it is done for them!?"

Yu-Gi-Oh retorts, "If we demand such blind loyalty from our people, what makes us better than the likes of Tyria!?"

Realizing that things are quickly spiraling out of control, Celestia stands back up and asserts, "My lords! You must cease this at once!"

Both emperors realize their mistakes and instantly stand down.

Seeing that things have gone back to normal, the representative of the Imperial Intelligence Agency continues with her report. "As I was saying, the group is not pleased with the current leadership in place of the empire. The reports we had of them originated only days after your official announcement of the sacrifice of the Yugohan Trinity last year. We knew they were ones to keep eyes on, but none of our intelligence ever suggested that they would become militant."

Seto points out, "It would seem you were wrong."

The woman nods. "Unfortunately so."

Yu-Gi-Oh ascertains regretfully, "So not only do we have to be cautious of the Tyrian Remnants outside of our boarders, but even our own citizens."

A strict looking man wearing a military uniform answers, "We may be looking at a war on two fronts."

Yu-Gi-Oh asserts, "We cannot allow it come to that."

Seto nods. "I agree, brother. We must stamp out this movement before it gains too much momentum."

Yu-Gi-Oh shakes his head. "No, that is not what I meant. We must come to a peaceful understanding with these Soldiers of Versal."

Seto does not seem to agree at all. "No, these people are dangerous." He points to a holographic image of the park after the explosion. "We have a duty to our people; we must protect them. We can take no risks."

Yu-Gi-Oh counters, "But the Soldiers of Versal are our people too. Just because they don't like us, doesn't mean we can ignore our duty to protect them."

Seto counters back, "They relinquished their right to protection when they became a danger to others!"

Speaking for the first time to stop any further escalation, Matt stands up and declares peacefully, "Remember, my emperors, when two ideologies clash, it is the balance of the two that is often the solution. So is the way of Chaos, so is the way of life."

Yu-Gi-Oh nods. "Yes…you are right of course, Arbitrator Amatsu-Mikaboshi. We need to come to a point of balance."

Seto nods as well. "Forgive my misbalance, Arbitrator."

After a moment of thought, Yu-Gi-Oh suggests, "My brother is right, we must take action against these Soldiers of Versal, as we owe it to our other citizens to protect them. But we must not look at this as we would at war with the Tyrian Remnant. We must take action, while also respecting their rights as citizens of Yugoha."

Seto listens, and then suggests, "We should start with a meeting, as my brother suggested, and then assess from there what action is required."

Yu-Gi-Oh continues, "Then we would need an official representative of the Ruling Council to appear before the Soldiers of Versal."

Celestia instantly stands up. "As High Advisor to the Emperors, such a duty would be mine."

Seto automatically objects, "No Celestia, it would be much too dangerous for you!"

Celestia looks him in the eyes and asks, "Do you say that as my emperor, or as my husband?"

Seto hesitates and does not give a response.

Celestia nods. "I thought so. Are there any other objections?" Nobody says a word. "Then it is settled. The IIA will use their contacts to arrange a meeting with the Soldiers of Versal, and I will negotiate with them and assess what further action, if any, will be needed to take."

Yu-Gi-Oh then declares, "If that is all, then I call this meeting of the Ruling Council adjourned." Everyone stands up at once, and file out of the room.

Last in the room is Matt and Yu-Gi-Oh. Before Matt leaves, Yu-Gi-Oh says to him, "Amatsu, thank you for speaking up before."

Matt turns towards Yu-Gi-Oh and reminds him, "I told you, please just call me Matt. Amatsu-Mikaboshi is my Lord of Chaos name."

"Yes, and as you are a Lord of Chaos, you earned the right to that name."

Matt points out, "The Yuni part of you never expected anyone to call him Ragnarok. I have spent too much of my life living with a fake name, I wish to simply be called by my true name now."

Yu-Gi-Oh nods. "Yes, I suppose I can understand that desire. One of my lifetimes went through much of his existence not even knowing his own name." After a pause, he says, "Anyways, thank you, Matt. You would think that after all the time Yuni spent as Lord of Chaos that I would be wiser in the ways of Balance."

"Even those most experienced in the teachings of Chaos can find themselves straying from Balance. That is simply the nature of the universe. It is far easier to embrace either Light or Darkness than to strike the perfect Balance of the two."

Yu-Gi-Oh smiles and nods. "It may have been a controversial choice to select a non-Yugohan native as the Arbitrator of Chaos, but I knew you were the right man for the job. Especially seeing as the Lord of Chaos is essentially the Earth-equivalent of the Arbitrator of Chaos. It only made sense to consolidate the two positions."

Matt agrees. "Yes, and both positions have benefitted greatly from it. The Earth doctrines of Chaos had much to learn from the Yugohan, but the opposite is also true." Matt turns to leave. "May Chaos favor you, my emperor."

"As you, Matt."

* * *

Yu-Gi-Oh, Seto, Celestia, and the IIA Director have gathered in some sort of operations center. The others surround Celestia. Seto asks, "Celestia, are you sure you want to do this? It's not too late to back out. These people are dangerous."

Celestia shakes her head and asserts, "No Seto, I'm going. My father was willing to risk his life for this empire, and that's exactly what he did. For me to be willing to do any less would be an insult to his memory. This is my duty." She pauses and then reaches out for Seto to stroke the side of his face. "Besides, my love, I would do anything to protect you, and it is you that these rebels want."

Seto nods in understanding. "Alright, my love. Just promise me you'll be careful."

"Of course, Seto. Just because I'm willing to sacrifice my life does not mean I want it to happen today." She then turns to the IIA Director and declares, "I am ready to depart."

The director nods. "Okay. We'll be transporting you straight to Firebird Park. The entire park has been closed since the bombing, and my agents have gotten the Soldiers of Versal to agree to a meeting there." She hands Celestia some sort of pin. "Attach this to your clothes."

Celestia and takes it. She's a bit baffled. "A Peace Pin?"

The director explains, "That pin will record anything around you and transmit it back to us holographically. It will also emit neural impulses that will allow us to speak directly to your mind. Most importantly, it will keep a sensor lock on you at all times so we may transport you out at any time."

Celestia nods and attaches the pin to her gown. "I'm ready to go." She steps up onto a transporter pad. "Initiate transport." She is enveloped by a golden light and teleported away.

Celestia reappears right next to the crater left behind by the bombing. The voice of the director asks, _Advisor Celestia, nod if you can hear me._ Celestia nods.

Back in the ops center, Yu-Gi-Oh, Seto, and the director watch a holographic projection of Celestia and her surroundings. Once they see her nod, the director continues, "Good, now the representatives of the Soldiers of Versal should appear any second now."

Right on cue, three people are transported in. One is an intimidating, tall, and muscular man, another a slender, but forceful looking woman, and the third is a man who looks more like a politician than a terrorist. He seems to be the leader. That man says, "Well, well, well. If it isn't the bride of a god killer. I must say, I am both surprised and impressed that one as cowardly as Seto would allow his own wife into such a situation.

Seto clenches his fist in anger. Yu-Gi-Oh places a hand on his shoulder. "Stay calm, my brother."

Celestia says to them, "I am here as a show of strength."

The leader looks intrigued. "Tell me, what's it like to be married to someone you know is responsible for the destruction of our gods?"

Celestia is momentarily perturbed, but calms herself and asserts, "The gods sacrificed themselves so that Yugoha may live. So, unless you'd rather remain oppressed by Tyria, I suggest you hold your insults."

The woman in the group cackles. "At least Tyria had the divine approval of our gods to rule."

Celestia objects passionately, "Tyria subverted the will of the gods and forced them grant the divine right! They were guilty of a crime far worse than what you accuse our emperors of!"

The woman is about to shout back, but the leader steps in and says, "Now, now, calm yourselves. This is supposed to be a civilized meeting." He looks to Celestia. "Regardless of what you might think of us, we are civilized."

Celestia takes a deep breath to calm herself. "Yes, and we are not here to debate morals and politics, we are here to come to a peaceful resolution. Your attack didn't kill anyone, so that tells me that you don't want anyone to come to harm. We wish the same."

The leader nods. "Indeed. And allow me to apologize. We started off on the wrong foot. My name is Entine, the Primary Speaker of the Soldiers of Versal. You are correct that we seek a peaceful resolution."

Celestia nods. "Good. I have been authorized to negotiate on behalf of the Ruling Council. I do hope that we can come to a mutual understanding."

The man and woman flanking Entine both laugh. Entine smiles and says, "I'm sorry, but I think you may have misunderstood what I meant. We, of course, seek a peaceful solution, but our demands are absolute. We will accept nothing less than the stepping down of Emperors Yu-Gi-Oh and Seto."

Celestia objects, "But we came here to negotiate, you can't make demands like that."

Entine sighs. "I wasn't lying when I said we wanted to seek a peaceful solution, but that does not mean we aren't willing to take more drastic measures." He makes a motion of his hands and the goons flanking him begin to approach Celestia menacingly.

Seeing what's happening, Seto shouts, "Pull her out! Get her out of there now!"

Technicians immediately begin work on extracting her.

However, the man grabs Celestia and rips the pin from her gown.

The last thing the ops center hears from her is her cutoff scream shouting, "Seto, help!"

A technician declares, "We've lost her!"

Seto shouts, "Celestia!"

Back with Celestia, the man crushes her pin. Entine apologizes, "Sorry about the rough treatment, but we couldn't have your god-killing husband pulling you out before we're through with you, and we must keep our base a secret. You understand, right?"

Celestia looks at him with hatred. "You hypocrite. You claim to seek peace, but now you're kidnapping me?"

Entine shrugs. "Like I said, peace is preferable, but we also must use the cards we're dealt, and we were dealt quite the card with you." He looks to the man and orders, "Take her, we're leaving."

The man forcefully grabs her and slings her over his shoulder. She screams out for help as a transporter teleports them away.

* * *

Everyone at ops is speechless. Seto turns towards the director, grabs him by the shoulders, shakes him, and shouts with rage, "They just kidnapped my wife!"

She forces Seto's hands off of her and asserts, "I assure you Emperor, we had no idea that the Soldiers of Versal would make such a drastic move."

Seto shouts back, "They just blew up a public park for Versal's sake!"

"We will get her back, Emperor Seto. That is the job of the IIA, after all."

A man at a terminal speaks up, "Director, the Soldiers of Versal are broadcasting another message!"

She orders, "What are you waiting for? Put it on the viewer!"

The emblem of the Soldiers of Versal is displayed just as it was last time. The same voice as before, now recognizable as Entine's, declares, "Citizens of Yugoha, we have in our custody the wife of a god killer. She is guilty of his crimes by association. No harm will come to her, for now, but we cannot ensure her well-being until the god killers release us from their iron grasp. The god killers have 24 hours to make a choice." The message ends, leaving everyone speechless once more.

Yu-Gi-Oh then declares, "There is only one way out of this. I will make a statement to the public taking full blame for the destruction of the Chronos, Quantus, and Versal. Then, I will abdicate my half of the thrown to your sole leadership Seto."

Seto looks to his brother and asserts, "No, we agreed that we would share the blame for the demise of the gods. You may have performed the actual action, but I had just as much of a part in it as you did. I won't let you shoulder the burden alone. And there's no way that I'd let you step down from the throne. It took us 20,000 years and five lifetimes to realize that we were both meant to rule together. We can't ignore that."

"But Seto, it may be the only way to save Celestia. Don't you want to see her safe return?"

Seto angrily tenses. "She is my wife, Yu-Gi-Oh. Of course I want to see her return safely, but you are my brother, and I will not allow you to sacrifice yourself for a sin we share the burden of. We may have our differences in our methods of ruling, but that is why we must stick together. We strike a Balance."

Yu-Gi-Oh questions with uncertainty, "But what other option is there?"

The director then speaks up and says, "If you would allow me to speak, we have a way."

Seto and Yu-Gi-Oh both turn to her and asks in tandem, "You do?"

"Yes, we may have been unprepared last time the Soldiers of Versal attacked, but before sending Celestia in, we knew we had to prepare for the worst. In addition to her Peace Pin tracker, I gave her one other piece of technology. A signal decrypter. We aren't able to track the origin of the Soldiers of Versal, because they have taken many precautions to disguise the origin point of their transmission. And if we slipped a normal tracker onto Celestia, the Soldiers of Versal's scanners would reveal any signal it sends to us. However, the signal decrypter we gave to Celestia is able to decrypt the signal they send at its very source, and then piggyback off of it to send all the information we need to locate her."

Seto asks with hope, "So you know where my wife is?"

"Yes. We have discovered the exact location of where the Soldiers of Versal are holding her."

Seto declares, "Then ready a team of your best agents for a rescue mission. I will be leading them personally."

Yu-Gi-Oh steps up behind Seto and adds, "Make that both of us. If the Soldiers of Versal want proof that we are the rightful emperors, we'll show it to them."

* * *

Celestia wakes up after having been knocked out. She finds herself in some sort of jail cell protected by a security field. Outside the cell is what is obviously the base of operations for the Soldiers if Versal.

A voice says, "Welcome back to the world of the living. I'm sorry that we had to knock you out like that, it was so uncivilized of us, but we couldn't have you attempting to break free before we had you secured. Surely you understand it's nothing personal." Celestia looks up to see Entine on the other side of the security field.

Celestia attempts to spit at his feet, but the spit hits the security field and sizzles away.

Entine scolds, "That hardly a proper way to treat your hosts."

Celestia scoffs. "My hosts? You kidnapped me."

"Kidnap is such a loaded word. I prefer to think of it simply as a negotiation tactic. Speaking of, we just sent our counteroffer out to your dear god-killing husband and his brother. If he really does love you as much as you think he does, then you should be released in no time. Worst case scenario, you won't be here longer than 24 hours, so I wouldn't worry too much about it."

Celestia looks to Entine with venom in her eyes. With equal ire, she declares, "Seto is the bravest, most honorable man I know. There is no way he would ever give into the demands of terrorists like you. And you've miscalculated."

Entine is amused. "Tell me, how have I miscalculated?"

"You miscalculated when you decided to kidnap me. Maybe before you could have gotten further with whatever you're planning. Maybe you could have lasted just a little longer and gotten your message out there more. Maybe, just maybe, you might have actually succeeded. But now you won't, because you kidnapped me, and therefore provoked Seto. And he is the last person in this galaxy that you want provoked."

Entine chuckles in amusement. "You're of course welcome to think whatever you'd like, but you should know that it is absolutely impossible for your husband to locate us. We have state-of-the-art technology that protects from even the most advanced surveillance technology possessed by the IIA."

Celestia grins. It's now her turn to chuckle in amusement.

"What's so funny?"

All Celestia does to answer is pull a tiny piece of technology from a hidden fold in her gown.

Entine's eyes go wide with distress as he realizes that it's a signal decrypter. He instantly turns around and orders, "Everyone to battle stations! We have incoming!"

Before anything can set in, the doors to the facility our suddenly burst down. A team of IIA agents burst in wielding laser weaponry. One shouts, "IIA! Get down on the ground! On the ground!" The agents begin going from person to person, placing their arms in binders.

Entine looks to Celestia with absolute rage. But then he looks back to the door and sees Yu-Gi-Oh and Seto step in. He grins. "Maybe we can salvage this situation after all." He runs out of sight into some sort of hidden passageway.

As the IIA agents make their sweeps, Seto surveys the area and his eyes lock onto Celestia. He runs towards her. "Celestia, you're okay!" Yu-Gi-Oh runs behind him. Once up at the security field, he asks with concern, "Are you alright? Did they hurt you?"

Celestia shakes her head. "Now that you're here, everything is right." She looks around with concern. "But Entine just ran off, I don't know where to. It seemed like he had some sort of plan."

Seto shakes his head. "Don't worry about him. These are experienced agents we're with, they'll catch him." He takes a step back and looks over the security field. "Now, how to break you out from here?"

Before anyone else can say anything, the entire building begins to shake, as if there were an earthquake. Yu-Gi-Oh asks with worry, "What was that?"

Celestia sees something and shouts, "Seto, behind you!" Seto and Yu-Gi-Oh both look back, but it's too late to react. Standing there in some sort of giant mechanical exo-suit is Entine.

He uses his mechanical arm to swat the two of them away. He laughs with pleasure. "It was silly of you two to come here! Now I will have the honor of removing you from power myself!"

An agent points his laser weapon at Entine and shouts, "Stand down or we'll open fire!"

Entine finds it amusing that they try to offer resistance. He charges at the agents and begins to swat them aside as well. The remaining agents instantly begin to open fire, but the laser bolts ricochet harmlessly off of the mech suit. Entine takes out all of the agents.

Celestia shouts with worry, "Seto! Yu-Gi-Oh! Are you alright!?"

Seto and Yu-Gi-Oh manage to get up, but look injured. Seto says, "Do not worry about us, Celestia."

Yu-Gi-Oh realizes that all the agents have fallen and that Entine has refocused his attention on them. He states, "Looks like this is going to be up to us."

Seto nods in agreement. "Let's take care of this creep." Both Seto and Yu-Gi-Oh pull some sort of golden cylinder from their belts and snap them onto their wrists.

Both declare at once, "Spirit Summoner activate!"

Yu-Gi-Oh shouts, "I summon the Divine Magician!"

Simultaneously, Seto declares, "I summon the Rainbow-Eyes Omnipotent Dragon!"

Two spirit monsters appear in front of the emperors. One is a magician wearing a brilliant golden armor that overall matches that of the Dark Magician's, and has a golden aura surrounding it. The other is dragon made out of a pure golden light, with eyes that flash every color of the rainbow. It resembles the form of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon.

Yu-Gi-Oh shouts, "Divine Magic Attack!"

And Seto orders, "Omnipotent Stream of Creation!"

Entine raises his mechanical arm and projects a shield from it that neutralizes both attacks. He laughs. "This is state-of-the-art Tyrian Power Armor! It was designed specifically to combat the monster spirits of Yugoha! With this I will destroy you just as you destroyed our gods!" Then a raises his other arm, from which a large barrel raises. "I take no pleasure in such brutish behavior, but it is what must be done, for the good of my homeland." From the barrel, he fires an intense laser blast aimed directly at Yu-Gi-Oh and Seto. He smiles. "Okay, maybe I lied. I'm enjoying this just a bit."

Just in time, the Divine Magician floats in and knocks the laser blast off-course with its staff. Yu-Gi-Oh nods at it. "Thank you, my friend." The magician nods back. Yu-Gi-Oh then says to Seto, "Let's try again, but flank him this time."

Seto understands completely what he means. "Rainbow-Eyes, frontal assault!" The dragon flies up into the air, then dives down and attacks.

Entine raises his shield to block the attack once more. Behind him the Divine Magician suddenly appears and prepares to cast its spell. Yu-Gi-Oh shouts, "Now!"

But Entine catches on and quickly raises his other arm behind him and generates another shield, blocking both attacks at once. He shouts, "You cannot stop me! You may have destroyed the gods, but I am still their servant! And my fidelity to them is what gives me strength that god killers like you could never understand!"

Seto looks to his brother and says, "Looks like this won't be that easy after all."

A lightbulb goes off in Yu-Gi-Oh's head. "I think I have an idea, but I need to get close enough to the armor to touch it. You think you can provide me with a distraction?"

Seto nods. "Leave it to me." He looks to his dragon and commands, "Rainbow-Eyes, let's do an aerial strafe!" The golden monster flies up as high as it can and flies over Entine, firing a rapid blitz of attacks. Entine switches hands for each attack, blocking them all.

Yu-Gi-Oh looks to his spirit partner and whispers to it, "Alright Divine Magician, get me in close behind him." The magician nods and casts a spell that teleports them both. They reappear behind Entine.

Entine, having detectors warning him of the presence behind him, raises an arm and a barrier behind him. "That trick didn't work before, what makes you think it will work now?"

Yu-Gi-Oh smiles confidently. "Because this time it's me behind you."

Entine's eyes go wide as he notices that Yu-Gi-Oh isn't where he last saw him. "What!?"

Yu-Gi-Oh then places his palm to Entine's barrier and his eyes glow a silvery-blue. Then outward from his hand, across the surface of the shield, a circuit board-like pattern of the same silvery-blue color spreads out across it. Within moments the entire shield shatters away like glass.

Entine cannot believe his eyes. "What is this!?" Not taking any chances, Entine moves to swat at Yu-Gi-Oh.

Yu-Gi-Oh dodges to the side and then places his hand on the arm of the mech suit. His eyes glow once more, and the circuit board pattern spreads out across the entire surface of the mech suit.

Entine begins to panic, as he looks across a holographic display of his systems. One after another of his systems shut down completely. "What are you doing!?" The entire suit goes completely immobile, leaving Entine trapped inside.

Yu-Gi-Oh lifts his hand and states, "That's a little trick I picked up during my life as Yuni Oha. It's always handy to have Technokinesis when you're fighting a mechanical foe." He looks to the magician floating beside him and says, "Thank you for your help, my friend. You are free to leave."

The magician nods and then fades away. Seto's dragon also leaves.

Entine struggles to get out of his suit, but even the systems that would normally allow him to eject are shut down.

Seto steps forward and says, "It's worthless, my brother did a complete system shut-down. You're not going anywhere. At least until the IIA reinforcements get here to take you to a maximum-security prison, that is." He then turns towards Celestia. "Are you alright, my love?"

Celestia nods. "I never lost faith in you. I knew you would save me."

Seto looks to the control panel on the side of the security field and asks, "Yu-Gi-Oh, would you mind?"

Knowing what he's asking, Yu-Gi-Oh steps up to the panel, places his hand on it, and activates his technokinesis once more. The security field dissipates.

Celestia leaps out and into Seto's arms. They embrace each other. Seto says to her, "I shouldn't have worried so much about you. It is because of your bravery that we were able to stop the Soldiers of Versal." They separate.

Yu-Gi-Oh then says to Seto, "And I should have listened to you at the council meeting. With this caliber of technology, the Soldiers of Versal were far too dangerous to be left free."

Seto disagrees, "But if it weren't for your idea of negotiating, we never would have located their base."

Yu-Gi-Oh nods. "As the ancient teachings of Chaos hold, it was the Balance of our philosophies that lead to today's victory."

* * *

The back-up IIA team have arrived. Entine, still immobilized in his mech suit, has been placed atop a hover-cart and is being carted out. He is pushed past Yu-Gi-Oh, Seto, and Celestia. As the agent pushing him stops for a moment, Entine looks to them and declares, "You may have stopped me, but justice will win out in the end. Yugoha only functioned in the past as long as it did because it had faith in its gods. You represent everything that goes against our great society, and because of that, you will not last. You may silence me on this day, but this is not the last you have seen of the Soldiers of Versal! This is just the beginning!" He is pushed out of sight as he shouts, "Yugoha will once more be ruled by those who are worthy of the gods' grace!"

Once he's gone, Celestia asks, "Do you think he's telling the truth? Is this just the beginning?"

Seto answers with uncertainty, "I wish I knew, Celestia."

Yu-Gi-Oh then answers, "I know. Entine is right. When I fused the gods back together with Ottiuk to neutralize his powers, he warned me that the people of Yugoha would revolt against me. He said that the very people I sought to protect would come to hate me. I knew he was right, but I also knew it wouldn't always be that way. We simply must keep on fighting, and never give up. The destruction of the gods is a change that had to occur for Yugoha to move forward, or else we would just repeat the mistakes of our past. And people don't like change. But change will eventually be accepted, when that change is a change for the better."

Celestia asks, "But was it a change for the better? Do you have any regret at all?"

Yu-Gi-Oh asserts, "It was. I made my choice, and I would make it again. I will stand by the choice I made until the end."

Seto asserts, "Not just you. I will stand by it as well."

Celestia corrects, " _We_ will. We're all in this together."


	5. Chapter 4: Return of Chaos

Episode 4: Return of Chaos

 **Uncharted Space, Circa 1,015,000 BYGO**

 _On the small scale,_ _history is full competing philosophies and ideologies. A philosophy that holds true to one generation may be rejected the next. One would expect this clash of ideologies to only grow more severe when comparing the histories of various civilizations across the known galaxy, but it turns out the opposite is true. On the grandest scale of histories, a striking symmetry is apparent. The philosophy of Chaos rises above others. This is in no small part thanks to Yugoha's influence, but even Yugoha was influenced in its discovery of Chaos._

The scene is in space, in a solar system. A single planet and its two moons can be seen orbiting a red giant star. The planet appears barren and scorched, but there's also a certain symmetry apparent between the brightness of the day and darkness of the night halves. A single small starship materializes from hyper-warp velocity. It bears some similarities to later Yugohan ships, but it looks nowhere near as elegant or sleek in design. Its segmented body makes it appear rather hastily thrown together compared to normal Yugohan ships.

A brazen and hearty voice states in a voiceover, "Star-Log, Day Ten. In just over ten days, the _Frontier_ has already returned to normal velocities at our destination, over three light-years from Yugoha. We have just done the impossible and traveled over 100 times the speed of light. This truly is a historic day for the planet Yugoha. Our objective now is to explore the planet Thorja-3, a planet undoubtedly rendered dead by its red-giant sun, but with chemical indicators that life could have once existed there. It is time to answer one of history's greatest questions once and for all. Are we alone?"

The bridge of the ship is now shown. It is extremely cramped and manned by three people. One man sits on an elevated chair and looks down to the display in front of him. A woman sits to his immediate right and another man on his left. They all look hard at work on various objectives. All three wear uniforms with light armor plating, reminiscent of modern Yugohan uniforms.

The man on the left looks up towards the central view-screen. He whistles to relate how impressed he is. "Wow…imagine that. We're orbiting a star that isn't our Sun, above an alien world. We've gone many thousand times farther from our planet than any other Yugohan in history ever has. Just…wow."

The girl jabs, "Tone it down, Rojak. We're not here as sight-seers."

The captain asserts, "How about you both just do your jobs?" He turns to the girl and asks, "Arna, have you gotten your readings from the planet yet?"

She nods. "They're coming in right now."

Rojak asks, "So what's the verdict, then? What's the answer to that burning question?"

Arna looks down to her display and freezes up. She says with shock, "There…must be some kind of mistake…"

The captain asks, "What is it?"

"These readings…it's impossible for them to happen naturally."

Rojak asks, "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

Arna nods. "Not only did this planet once have life, it once had intelligent life." She looks up to the captain. "Captain Callon, we've done it. We've answered the question."

Callon nods. "We are not alone."

* * *

"Star-Log, Day Thirteen. The past three days have been of the utmost excitement for my crew and me Almost immediately after learning that the planet Thorja-3 had evidence of past civilization, we learned that it was not only advanced, but it was star-faring. The inhabitants of Thorja-3, whoever they were, were far more advanced than Yugoha. We have discovered graphs which seem to indicate a galaxy-wide spanning of their civilization. We do not know the cause of this planet's abandonment, but it is worth noting that quantum dating indicates that it was abandoned before the system's star transitioned into its red giant phase. In fact, quantum dating places the newest buildings at over 200 million years old. This planet was abandoned back when the _vosine_ still roamed Yugoha. We have no idea if Thorja-3 was an opulent capital world or some backwater outpost. To my eyes, even in their ruined state, the structures on this planet are grander than even those of Yugoha City. But how can I possibly comprehend a civilization so vast and grand? We are nothing compared to these…to these Precursors. The study and survey of the largest city on the planet continues."

Callon, Rojak, and Arna search across the surface of Thorja-3 using handheld scanners. They are dressed in environment suits. They are in the ruins of what seems to have been an extremely high-tech city. Despite the 200 million years that have passed, mostly everything remains at least somewhat intact.

Rojak asks, "A civilization as advanced as this one…what could possibly cause it to end?"

Arna reminds, "We don't know that it ended in the first place. We're not dealing with a single planet-bound civilization here. These people had planets across the galaxy, they easily could have left for any one of them by their own choice."

Rojak shrugs. "Yeah, but why abandon a perfectly good planet? They still had several million years left until the planet was rendered uninhabitable. It just doesn't make any sense. I highly doubt that a society could have so many planets that it just upright decides to abandon a perfectly good one. All evidence suggests that habitable planets are rare. We were extremely lucky to find a candidate for a previously habitable one so close to our own. There still has to be value attached to such a world, even to an intergalactic society. Something had to have happened." He looks over to Callon. "What do you think, captain?"

Callon is deeply immersed in his work, so he doesn't notice the question at first. After a moment, he looks up from his scanner and asks, "Hmm?"

"What do you think happened to the people here, captain?"

"I don't know. All I know is that I feel like a simple beast looking upon a hyper-warp equipped starship for the first time. How can my simple animal mind possibly decipher anything about the pinnacle of Yugohan technology?"

Arna comments, "You are as elegant with your words as always, captain."

Callon looks back down to his scanner. "I'm picking up a strange energy reading from a nearby building. I want to investigate it."

Rojak asks, "What kind of energy?"

"The answer of the day is: I don't know. It is extremely unusual, though. It seems to be fluctuating rapidly between two different frequencies, those two frequencies being the exact inverse of each other." He looks up to Arna. "You're the engineer and science officer of this crew, does that mean anything to you?"

Arna contemplates this and shakes her head. "No, fluctuating between two opposite frequencies of energy would just cause the two to completely dampen each other. No useful applications could be derived."

Rojak points out, "The fact that we're finding such a fluctuation suggests otherwise."

Callon decides, "Let's go and investigate."

They head off and follow Callon's scanner. It leads them into a still mostly intact dome structure. Once inside, Rojak gives his whistle of impressment. The whistle echoes through the massive chamber they've entered.

Across the chamber from them is some sort of half-ring shape structure coming up and out from the floor. Arna says, "I believe we've found our energy source. That device, whatever it is, is emitting the waves."

Callon asks, "Any theories as to what it may be?"

Arna shakes her head. "No, none whatsoever."

They approach the ring. Callon walks up to it and brushes a hand across it. He stares at it with a sense of wonder.

Arna steps up to some sort control panel at the ring's side. She looks it over with curiosity and realizes that there's a digital display that seems to be flashing something. She gasps. "Whatever this machine is, it's still working, even after 200 million years with no upkeep. It must have been important." She holds her arm out right above the panel. The entire panel suddenly lights up, reacting to her hand. "What's this?" The entire machine groans to life.

Rojak shouts, "Captain! Get out of there!"

Callon looks towards him with surprise. Then looks around him and realizes that the inside of the ring has begun to glow. Just as he's about to make a break for it, the machine completely flares to life, and as a result, a swirling vortex of black and white energy appears in the ring, right where the captain was standing. He is pulled into the vortex and disappears.

Arna and Rojak shout, "Captain!"

* * *

Callon lies passed out upon barren, gray ground. He slowly comes to and gets up. He looks around. The land around him looks desolate and empty. The sky above him is colored the deep orange of twilight, but instead of a setting sun, there is what looks to be an eclipsed sun. Even stranger is that unusual vortexes open and close sporadically with no discernable pattern. Streams of purple and gold energy flow out of these vortexes, and then back into others. Upon seeing these vortexes, Callon does a doubletake. He rubs his forehead. "I must have hit my head pretty hard." He looks back up, but the view has remained unchanged. He shakes his head in disbelief. He looks around and then walks off in a random direction to survey his surroundings.

After quite some time of walking, he pulls out a recorder and says to it, "Star-Log, Day Thirteen, Addendum. After activating some sort of unknown mechanism by accident, I seem to have been transported to some strange new place. I am unable to discern for certain whether I was brought somewhere else on the planet, or to a whole new planet entirely. This place seems to be locked in a perpetual twilight, and I am therefore unable compare the constellations. However, this bizarre eternal twilight, as well as this landscape unlike any I have seen before, suggests to me that I must be on a different planet. Perhaps most bizarre of all, however, is that according to my scans, this world has a breathable atmosphere with a temperature within Yugohan norms. Despite this, I have yet to remove my environment suit, as a precaution. I will continue to search for a way back, and I can only assume that Commander Rojak and Lieutenant Arna are working on the same on the other side."

He puts away the recorder and sighs. He looks back up to the sky and shakes his head in disbelief once more. He says to himself, "Alright, this twilight has lasted for two hours straight. Perhaps even more bizarre is that the solar eclipse has lasted just as long. The twilight and the unmoving eclipse must mean that the system I am in has been completely tidally locked. The same side of the planet always faces the sun, and the moon, through some strange alignment of gravity, is stuck between the two at all times. The vortexes though…nothing I have seen in all of my journeys could explain that."

Suddenly, movement catches his eyes. He looks to the left just in time to see some pebbles falling from a nearby outcropping. He suddenly turns around 180 degrees when he hears something behind him. Callon begins to look nervous. He calls out, "Hello? Is somebody there?"

A voice suddenly says, "Greetings, stranger."

Callon turns back to look where he was looking only moments ago, except somebody now stands there. It is a tall man with radiant skin, long golden hair, and pointed ears. Everything about him practically seems to be glowing. Upon seeing this being, Callon jumps back with surprise, only to find that now there are more of these people behind him. After a speechless moment, he says, "I'm Captain Callon, of the Yugohan Starship _Frontier_. We were on a mission to the planet Thorja-3, but I was somehow stranded here. Are you the inhabitants of this world?"

The being tilts his head. "How curious. Are you telling me that you're an outsider?"

"I suppose you could call it that. I come from the planet Yugoha."

"I know not what this term 'planet' means. But it would appear that you have arrived to our dimension from another."

This shocks Callon. "Dimension? You're telling me that I have entered a different dimension entirely? How is that possible?"

"It would seem that, just as your talk of planets confuses me, mine of dimensions confuses you. This is the Realm of Chaos, a world where the forces of Light and Darkness intersect. I am Aelon, Chief of the Light Tribe."

Callon shakes his head in disbelief. "No, this isn't happening. This isn't happening." He laughs at the sheer absurdity of the situation.

"Deny it all you wish; the fact of the matter is that you are as far from your home as one can possibly travel. It has been millions of years since outsiders last traveled to our realm. What has brought you here?"

"I wish I knew. I was investigating a strange machine, and it transported me here. Now I need a way back."

Aelon grins opportunistically. "You're in luck, outsider. We know a way for you to return to your realm."

"You do? Tell me how, I must know."

Aelon grins even wider. "Come with us back to our village. I'll gladly fill you in there. Just be warned, if we are to help you, we need your help first."

Callon nods. "Anything, just tell me what I need to do."

"Come, come." He beckons for Callon to follow him.

* * *

Aelon and his other light elves bring Callon to their village, a small and rural settlement tucked away in a nearby mountain range. Callon looks around and observes the antiquated way of life these people follow. There are farmers, craftsmen, merchants, and the like, and no technology to be seen at all. Callon says under his breath, "It's like I'm back in the Feudalistic Age. What could these primitives possibly know about dimension travel when Yugoha is only just beginning its space-faring age?"

Aelon says without looking back to Callon, "You don't give my people enough credit, Captain Callon."

Callon curses under his breath, and then asks, "You could hear that?"

"My people are known for their excellent hearing." He beckons to the hut ahead, the largest in the village. "That is my home. We will talk business in there."

They enter the hut, and Aelon invites Callon to take a seat at a table. Callon shakes his head, preferring to remain standing. Aelon shrugs indifferently and takes a seat himself. Callon gets right down to business. "Alright, what is it I have to do to get back to my own dimension?"

"You are a man who likes to get right to the point. I respect that, so allow me to get right to the point. There is an ancient artifact known as the Veil of Chaos. It is a magical object that allows its wielder to freely travel between this realm and your own."

Callon groans. "Great, now we're talking about magic. I really am in the Feudalistic Age."

"Do you doubt that there are powers in the universe beyond your comprehension?"

Callon tilts his head. "Well, no, but that doesn't mean there's magic. It's just undiscovered science."

"But if it is a force you don't understand, then how is that any different from magic?"

Callon throws up his hands defeat. "Fine. Just tell me what needs to be done to get this Veil of Chaos."

"The Veil is possessed by a tribe known as the Chaotic Ones. They distort the purity that is Light by combining it with Darkness. We cannot allow such heretics to remain in possession of such a powerful artifact."

Callon nods. "Alright, so where do I come into this? You said you needed my help."

"Yes, for you see, the Chaotic Ones have placed a protective barrier around the Veil, one that blocks out any being of pure Light. None of my tribe can penetrate this barrier, but you, as an outsider, have not aligned with any one side. You have aspects of both Light and Darkness within you, and you can pass right through the barrier unimpeded. Will you help put this artifact back in the hands of Light?"

"This Veil can bring me back to where I came from?"

"Yes."

"Then what choice do I have? Just tell me what I need to do, and I'll do it."

* * *

"Star-Log, Day 14. I have entered into an alliance with the Tribe of Light in order to get back to my own dimension. These people, elves in all sense of the word, dedicate themselves entirely to following a path of light. As noble a concept as this sounds, I cannot help but question the philosophy. It seems to leave them unopen to outside ideas. Everything they do must be completely devoid of anything that could be perceived as an element of darkness. Regardless, they are my only hope of returning home, so I must trust them. Besides, how could ones devoted to all that is light and good be untrustworthy?"

Callon strolls across the Light Tribe's village towards Aelon's hut. He has finally shed his environment suit, leaving him in his uniform. He notices a large gathering of the light elves geared up in armor. Some of them are performing target practice with arrows made of pure light. He tilts his head, wondering what they're doing. He then walks into Aelon's hut and demands, "What's going on out there? Your people look like they're…about to go to war?"

Aelon turns to Callon. "Is something wrong with that?"

"I didn't sign up to join any war. If there's anything you're not telling me about these Chaotic Ones, you'd better tell me now."

Aelon shakes his head disapprovingly. "Might I remind you that you are the outsider, and my tribe is extending hospitality to you. You'd be best not to question us. But since you must know, my soldiers are preparing to provide you back up, should you need it."

Callon isn't convinced. "But this is supposed to be a stealth mission. You said that there'd be no fighting."

"The goal is to get you in and out without being noticed, but the possibility exists that all will not go according to plan, and that you and the Veil of Chaos will need an extraction."

Callon begrudgingly nods.

"Now, are you ready for your task?"

Callon affirms, "The sooner I'm out of this crazy place, the better."

Aelon places something in Callon's hand. "Good. You'll be needing this."

Callon looks it over. It's some sort of smooth, round stone. "What is it?"

"It's a Link Stone. It allows two individuals, each one of the paired Link Stones, to communicate with each other telepathically. It will allow me to guide you from a distance."

Callon nods. "Alright, it's a communicator. Is there anything else I need? I'd like to begin."

Aelon shakes his head. "No, you may depart as soon as you feel ready. Aya will be your guard." He beckons to a female elf sitting at his side.

"In that case, let's leave immeadiatly."

* * *

Aya leads Callon to a hiding spot behind a boulder. She takes a peek up and over it and says, "There it is, the fortress of the Chaotic Ones."

Callon looks up and over as well. Ahead of them is a large metal structure that appears nearly seamless in its construction, and has no jagged edges. Callon looks contemplative. "There's something familiar about that building, but I can't put my finger on it." He turns to Aya and inquires, "So how do I get in?"

She responds, "I can use my powers of Light to teleport you directly into the reliquary, but it's a big room, you'll have to find the Veil of Chaos yourself. Once you retrieve it, tell Lord Aelon with your Link Stone that you're ready to leave, and I'll extract you."

Callon seems a little bewildered. "Teleportation, of course. More magic." He takes a deep breath. "Alright, send me in."

Aya raises her arms and her hands begin to glow. Moments later, Callon is transported away. When he reappears, he's standing in the middle of an expansive chamber. Filling that chamber is an innumerable amount of artifacts of different shapes and sizes. Some look like archaic, yet ornate weaponry, others seem to be bits and pieces of machinery, then there's articles of clothing and armor, and there's even more that can't be described.

Callon grasps his Link Stone and whispers, "Alright, I'm in."

The voice of Aelon responds, "Very good. Do you see the Veil of Chaos?"

"Not yet." He steps up to a display case with an artifact. Floating in this one is a small round disc with a black and white yin-yang pattern emblazoned on it. He asks, "What are these?"

Aelon explains, "This room is where the Chaotic Ones hoard their Chaos Relics, ancient items of great power created by an ancient race that came to this world from another realm. The one you are looking at is called the Yin-Yang Crest of Temko. It has the power to absorb all of the abilities of another being so that wielder may use them as their own." With a sudden sound of annoyance, he snaps, "But that does not matter. Pay no heed to anything else. The Veil of Chaos is the only thing you need."

Callon nods. "Right." He walks away, keeping his eyes on the Yin-Yang Crest for as long as he can.

After a while of searching, Callon notices a display case larger than all the others. Floating in it is a dazzling cloak that shimmers between extremes of light and darkness. Callon is startled by its stunning nature. After getting over the initial shock, he says, "I think I've found it. It's a cloak, right? In a big central display case?"

Aelon says eagerly. "Yes, you've found it! Grab it! Grab it now!"

Callon nods. "Right." He approaches the case.

Before he can reach for it, a voice shouts, "Stop right where you are!" Callon instinctively reaches for his sidearm, but the voice shouts, "I said don't move!" Callon freezes. "Good, now turn around slowly."

Callon does as he's told. Standing behind him is a tall and intimidating man. Not a normal looking man, however. His skin seems to be divided right down his body, with the right side being a shadowy black, and the left being a pure white. He wears clothes that are also half black and white, but with the colors reversed from that of his skin. He holds a glowing gold sword up towards Callon. He demands, "Who are you? You're an outsider, aren't you? What are you doing here?"

Deciding to be blunt, Callon answers, "I've come for the Veil of Chaos for the Light Tribe."

The man's eyes widen. "The Light Tribe! I don't know what they've promised you, outsider, but-"  
Callon takes advantage of the man's distraction, and suddenly delivers a roundhouse kick to his arm, forcing him to drop the sword of light. In a continuing fluid motion, Callon draws his sidearm and aims it at the man.

Realizing he's beaten, the man slowly raises his arms into the air. He urges, "You can't trust the Light Tribe. They're a scourge to this realm."

Callon laughs. "Funny, that's exactly what they said about your people." He notices the man has binder cuffs on his belt. Callon reaches forward, grabs them, and binds the man. The man has no choice but to let him.

"I don't know what they've promised you, but whatever it is, they're lying. They're using you as a tool to get what they want, a disposable tool."

"Do you deny that you allow darkness to permeate your philosophies?"

The man is confused. "No, why would I deny that? That is the way of Chaos."

"Well, the Light Tribe follow the light exclusively. Guess who I find it easier to trust."

Realization crosses the man's face. "Ah, you are not only an outsider, you are ignorant. You are simply making the same mistake that all Ignorant Ones would."

Callon shakes his head in confusion. "What nonsense are you spouting?"

Via the Link Stone, Aelon urges, "What is taking so long? Get that Veil!"

Callon ignores him, his curiosity piqued. The man answers, "Chaos is the one true philosophy of the universe. It is the governing principle that dictates the innerworkings of all. Chaos is the combination of Light and Darkness, for what more chaotic could exist than a mixture of two polar opposites? Only one of the most extreme discipline can control this chaos by maintaining a perfect balance between the two. To your ignorant mind, Darkness is inherently evil, and Light inherently good, but either one in the extreme can beget evil. Only a Balance is truly good. That is why you can't trust the Light Tribe. They seek to destroy all Darkness, thus ruining any chance of Balance being maintained."

Callon rolls his eyes. "Wow, that might just prove to be one the most deluded things I have ever heard." Over it, he turns towards the Veil and reaches for it, his hand passing right through the barrier encasing it.

The Chaotic One shouts, "No!"

Callon grabs the veil and removes it from the protective barrier. "Okay Aelon, I have it." The moment he says this, the veil disappears from his hand. Callon is shocked. "Hey, what gives!?"

The Chaotic One shouts, "You fool! You've doomed us all!"

Callon pulls out the Link Stone and demands, "Aelon, what's going on? Why'd you leave me in here?"

Aelon, suddenly sounding much more menacing, responds, "I'm sorry, outsider, but I haven't been completely honest with you. Now that we have the Veil of Chaos, all that is not pure Light will be destroyed. That includes yourself and, thanks to the powers of the Veil, your realm as well."

Callon shouts with rage, "Aelon!"

Suddenly the entire building shakes. Callon runs to a window and looks out. He sees an army of Aelon's soldiers marching towards the fortress. They have already begun an onslaught of magical attacks.

The still bounded Chaotic One asks, "Do you realize the severity of your mistake now, outsider?"

Callon doesn't respond, but the look on his face suggests he has. He looks towards the center of the attacking army and sees Aelon himself donning the Veil of Chaos. As soon as it's on his shoulders, he floats up into the air, surrounded in a purple and gold aura. From his hands, he unleashes two massive beams of light energy, obviously fueled by the power of the Veil.

He looks down and sees an army of Chaotic Ones emerging from the fortress. The armies clash and a battle ensues, but Aelon with the Veil seems much too powerful for them to handle.

Callon asks, "What is this? Aelon told me that the Veil of Chaos was used for traveling between dimensions, not this."

The Chaotic One responds, "And have you not figured out that he is willing to lie to achieve his goals? That is but one of the abilities that the Veil grants its wearer. It also grants them the ability to manipulate the proportions of Light and Dark energies around them. It's amplifying his Light abilities a hundredfold. I fear that not even the great Envoys of Chaos would be a match for him now."

"The Envoys of Chaos?"

As if to answer his question, a great roar is heard. Callon looks up into the sky and sees a grand dragon fly down from the sky. On its back is a warrior. It's the Chaos Emperor Dragon – Envoy of the End and the Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning. The dragon breathes a magnificent breath of black flames across the battlefield, falling countless light elves. However, Aelon has created a barrier of light around him to protect himself. The Black Luster Soldier leaps off of the Chaos Emperor Dragon's back and directly engages in battle with Aelon, both using swords made of light.

Callon asks, "Who are they?"

"They are the great Envoys of Chaos, they represent Light and Darkness itself and serve the Chaos Deity directly. Next to him, they are the most powerful beings in existence."

As he explains this, Callon watches as the Black Luster Soldier is overwhelmed by Aelon and falls to the floor before him. The Chaos Emperor Dragon roars and attacks with black flames once more, but Aelon blocks them again, and attacks back with a massive beam of light. The dragon attempts to dodge, but its wing is grazed, causing enough damage to cause it to plummet to the ground and crash.

The Chaotic One shakes his head in disbelief. "If even the Envoys of Chaos could not defeat him, then we are all doomed. Aelon will destroy everything."

Callon says to himself, "And then my dimension is next…" With this statement, he decides that he can no longer sit back and watch. He quickly glances around the room, and his eyes settle on something. A plan begins to form. "You told me that those envoys are entities of pure Light and Darkness, right?"

"Yes, what of it?"

"And you also said that a balance of the two can be more powerful than when apart?"

"Only when the balance is absolute, but yes. What are you thinking?"

"I'm asking myself that right now." He walks towards a display case and reaches in, pulling out the Yin-Yang Crest of Temko. He looks to it, takes a deep breath in, and then charges forward, flinging himself right through the window. As he's falling to the ground, he attaches the crest to his uniform. The moment he does, it begins to glow and pulsate.

On the battlefield, both the fallen Black Luster Soldier and Chaos Emperor Dragon begin to glow. Then Light energy from the former and Darkness from the latter begin to flow from them and into the crest. From the crest, the energy enters into Callon's body. He closes his eyes momentarily, and then reopens them. Now one of his eyes is purple, and the other is gold. A great gold and purple aura begins to pulsate around him, and a yin-yang symbol appears on the back of his right hand. Right before he hits the ground, he begins to float in the air. With an amplified voice, he declares, "I'm putting a stop to this now, Aelon!"

Aelon looks to him. "You're a fool, outsider! I will destroy you!"

With incredible speeds, the two dash at each other and unleash tremendous energies upon impact, flinging them both back. Aelon creates two large beams of light, but Callon manages to block both with a yin-yang shield he manifests. Callon then attacks back by hurling two orbs of energy, one light, the other dark. Aelon dodges to the left, and then to the right to avoid the attacks. Both combatants then unleash the largest beams of energy yet. They collide midway between the two of them. The two appear equally matched.

Callon seems to have a plan, though. He suddenly stops his attack and disappears from sight before Aelon's beam can touch him. He then reappears behind Aelon, reaches forward, and yanks the Veil of Chaos from his shoulders. Once this happens, all of Aelon's powers seep out from him. He opens his eyes with shock, only just registering what happened before he falls to the ground.

He gets up and looks upwards at Callon. "No! Give me that veil! You are not worthy of holding it!"

Callon announces to the entire Light Tribe army, "Light Tribe, leave this place now! You have lost this battle!" To emphasize his point, Callon unleashes a beam of energy that hits the ground just in front of the front line. In fright, the soldiers begin to teleport themselves away.

Aelon looks up to Callon and sneers with hatred, "You will regret this day, outsider! You and your entire realm of Darkness will burn for this transgression! I swear it!" He teleports himself away.

Callon lowers to the ground and removes the Crest of Temko from his uniform. The moment he does, all the energy he absorbed returns to the Envoys. They both stir, and begin to come to.

A Chaotic One, the one from the reliquary, who seems to have been freed from his binders, approaches Callon. "You are no normal outsider, there is much potential in you. Only one with a great inner Balance could control that much Chaos energy."

Callon hands him the Veil and Crest. "These belong to you. I don't know how to apologize for all the trouble I caused for you and your people."

The Chaotic One shakes his head. "You cannot be blamed for your ignorance. Not since the Precursors left your realm for this one over 200 million years ago has your realm understood the ways of Chaos."

Something clicks into place with Callon. "Wait, 200 million years ago? You're talking about the inhabitants of Thorja-3! That's what happened to them, they left their planet to migrate to the realm of Chaos!" He looks to the Chaotic Ones' fortress. "That's why that building looked so familiar, I saw ones just like it on Thorja-3."

"Yes, the Precursors were the first from your realm to truly understand Chaos. Once they learned the way to this realm, they decided they could no longer live in one of misbalance. They were the creators of the Chaos Relics, such as the Crest of Temko. It is the duty of the Chaotic Ones to safeguard their legacy."

At this point, both the Chaos Emperor Dragon and Black Luster Solider have reawakened. The Black Luster Soldier says with a majestic voice, "Callon of Yugoha, today we are in your debt."

Callon shakes his head. "I cannot take credit for this victory, for it was I who caused the trouble in the first place."

The Chaos Emperor Dragon asserts with a commanding voice, "Nevertheless, you also solved the trouble. For that we must thank you."

"All I want is to get back to my own dimension."

Black Luster Soldier states, "It would be of no effort for us to send you back to where you came, if that is what you wish."

Callon nods. "It is."

Chaos Emperor Dragon declares, "Then it shall be so! But we have one request of you."

"Anything to repay for the mistake I've made today."

Black Luster soldier requests, "When you return, spread the word of Chaos. Let your people know of the philosophy of the Balance. The time has come for Balance to return to your realm. It will set the stage for all we have foreseen in your realm's future to occur."

Callon nods. "As crazy as the whole Chaos thing sounded to me, once I felt its power surging through me, I suddenly understood what this whole Balance thing is about. I will spread the word. With Chaos on its side, Yugoha will rise to greatness."

Both Envoys agree, "That, it will."

Black Luster Soldier then slashes his sword, slicing through the air itself, opening a rift. He explains, "Step through here, and you will be transported back to the exact point you left."

Callon nods, and steps up to the portal. He looks around, taking in his surroundings one last time. The sights that once caused him confusion and distress now seem to resonate with him. He taps the emblem on his chest twice, causing his environment suit to materialize around him. He takes a deep breath, and then leaps into the portal.

Just as Black Luster soldier said, he reappears exactly where he was when he first left Thorja-3. He looks over to see Arna busily looking over the control panel, in an attempt to figure out how to work it.

Callon declares, "Status report, Lieutenant Arna!"

With utter shock, Arna turns around and gasps. "Captain! But how!?"

Rojak asks over the communicator, "Captain, is that you!?"

"Yes Commander Rojak, I'm back. And boy, do I have a story to tell."


End file.
